


Electric Eldritch Eidolon

by ADeadMissionary



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2018-10-16 01:17:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 162,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10560938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADeadMissionary/pseuds/ADeadMissionary
Summary: Being dead isn't as easy as Nick Wilde thought it would be. Chased by government agents, shadowy black ops, and mammals with supernatural abilities, the poor fox has never had it so rough. At least he has the bunny cop on his side. What the hell is an Eidolon, anyway? Gore, death, and lots of screaming. Looking for interested betas and/or coauthors.





	1. Nick Dies, Judy Investigates

_July 7, 11:09 P.M._

_Canal District, The Docks._

Nicholas Wilde found himself staring down, well, _up_ the barrel of a _very large_ gun. So big, in fact, it could only be wielded safely by a large mammal, such as the brown bear decked out in black combat fatigues currently staring down at him. Probably staring at him. It was hard to tell through the black aviator sunglasses.

The fox had his paws up, eyes wide, ears pinned back, and teeth carefully tucked away in an attempt to look as nonthreatening as possible. He'd never actually seen a gun up close before, but knew they were very, _very_ dangerous. The bear didn't look like a pushover, either.

To Nick's right was a lioness in a fine suit. In her right paw was a plain black briefcase, her left paw held casually behind her back. Her entire body was held casually, except her eyes. They were sharp and steady, focused intensely on the black-clad soldiers arrayed out in front of her.

There were five of them. Two wolves, a boar, an antelope, and, of course, the bear currently staring down the fox. One of the wolves stepped forward. His fur, black as pitch, made his intense yellow eyes glow.

"One chance." His voice was deep and frightening. At least, Nick thought so. The lioness didn't seem impressed. "Give us what we want, or die."

"Fuck off, Gmork." The feline's succinct reply made Nick feel sick. The silence that followed was so charged that the red fox could have sworn he heard crackling. Finally, Gmork spoke.

"Fine." He glanced at the bear. "Off the witness."

"Wait a sec-!" Nick's desperate plea was cut short by a shotgun blast. The fox was slammed into the ground, a hole blown through his chest. As the world dimmed and blurred and faded, the fox faintly heard shouting and gunfire.

_Guess that's it…_

As he stared up at the smoky, starless night sky, a streak of red light filled his vision. That didn't seem to matter, though.

_I wish I could have been a tailor._

Nick Wilde died right there on that dock.

* * *

_July 8, 8:03 A.M_

_Precinct 1, ZPD Headquarters_

"...Snarlof, Fangmeyer, Wolford, Grizzoli, got a multiple homicide on the Docks. Pier 81. I expect a preliminary report by lunch." As the four officers rose to leave, Chief Bogo plucked his reading glasses from his snout, tucking them into his breast pocket as he turned to leave. His hoof had just wrapped around the door knob when a voice spoke out.

"Uh, Chief? What about me?" The meaty bison glanced over his shoulder. He quickly found Judy Hopps, his most diminutive officer, standing in her chair, staring at him hopefully. Bogo smiled.

"Right. Hopps. You finally graduated from parking duty."

"Really?!" The bunny smiled sunnily, ears perked, arms clenched to her chest.

"Yup!" The Chief replied with false cheer. Then he dropped the smile, and all pretense of kindness. "Report to records. Paperwork is starting to pile up, they need the help," he stated flatly. He turned to leave again.

"Wait!" With a roll of his eyes, Bogo turned back Judy. He found her missing from the chair. Turning fully around, he found her standing before him. "Chief Bogo, Sir, please allow me to help on a real case! I've been doing- doing _busywork_ for _three months. Please, please_ let me do some _actual police work,_ " the bunny begged, eyes large and pleading.

Bogo snorted. He didn't get to where he was by being moved by some big doe eyes. Just as he opened his mouth to shoot her down, something sparked in his brain.

_Nothing like a gruesome case too soon to get rid of a troublesome recruit. Or a rabbit that has no business being in my precinct._

"Fine," he said gruffly. Wouldn't do to let her catch on, after all. Better to let her think she had won. "Head to Pier 81. Assist in the homicide investigation. Don't let me hear you were a nuisance, or you'll be in records until Yule. Clear?"

"Clear! Sir, you won't regret this, I promise!" The rabbit turned and rushed off, leaving the Chief alone. He stared at the door she vanished through, an irritated frown dominating his face.

_Somehow, I think I_ will _regret this._

* * *

Lab techs walked amongst gore, feet clad in plastic booties to prevent contamination. The headless corpse of a gray wolf lay on its side, still clutching an automatic rifle. A boar lay in two pieces, cut through the waist. Chunks of a pronghorn lay scattered, his mostly intact head still wearing a shocked expression.

"...That's a severed head."

Wolford threw a paw over his mouth, turned and rushed to the side of the pier. As he messily lost his breakfast, the other four officers stared at the scene in various states of shock and surprise. A headless corpse was a rarity in Zootopia, and that was the least of the macabre scene before them.

"Well," Grizzoli gathered his wits first. "You lot remember what the Chief said. Preliminary by lunch. Let's get to work." The polar bear stepped forward, took out a notepad and began taking notes. Snarlof and Fangmeyer followed suit.

Violet eyes stared into the dark eyes of the pronghorn. Her body was frozen, her mind locked up, unable to process what she was seeing. Just when it seemed like she would pass out, a paw touched her shoulder.

Judy gasped and jerked, ears shooting to attention. She twisted to look at who touched her. Wolford was there, face concerned.

"Hey there, take it easy. Slow, deep breath through the mouth." He put his paw on his stomach and sucked in a lungful of air, chest puffing up. Then he slowly blew it out, relaxing visibly as he did so. "Then breathe it out. Repeat as necessary. Not so hard, yeah?"

Judy stared for a second, then tried to follow his example. Looking to the ground, she sucked in a shaky breath, then let it out. Not working to her satisfaction, she tried again, faster this time.

"Ah-ah! _Slowly._ " Wolford held out a paw and lowered it in the _take it easy_ gesture. Judy paused mid-breath. She glanced up at the wolf. He looked her in the eye and mouthed _slowly._ She tried again, taking her time as she did so. By the third attempt, she felt, well, not _good,_ but _better._ Once she was sure she wasn't going to pass out, she offered her superior a slightly unsteady smile.

"Thank you, sir." Her voice was uncharacteristically subdued. The wolf waved her off, an understanding smile on his snout.

"Don't worry about it. First one is always the worst. And you saw me puke, right? I haven't got this all figured out, myself!" With one last smile, he turned to go to work. Judy stood alone and watched as he approached the headless wolf and began to sniff around, careful not to actually touch anything.

With one more slow breath, Judy stepped forward. Seeing how her fellow officers were already busy with documenting the corpses, she decided that she would talk with the techs. She looked around, and quickly spotted who she thought might be in charge. A pangolin in coveralls was standing by two crates. One crate was full of plastic evidence bags, sample kits and other forensic supplies, while the other was empty.

As she approached, the pangolin looked up from his clipboard. His eyebrows, such as they were, rose in surprise.

"Hey, I heard about you. The bunny cop. Uh, Jumps, right?" Judy smiled patiently.

"Hopps, actually. Officer Judy Hopps. Mr…?" She held out a paw. The pangolin, surprised by the gesture, careful wrapped his large claws around her much daintier digits.

"Stanley Rueber. Everyone calls me Rube." After a single firm pump, Judy withdrew her paw. She took out her notebook and her carrot pen.

"So, Rube, can you tell me what happened here?" The tech winced at the question.

"Uh, the thing is, no, I can't." The response visibly confused Judy.

"Why not? Is something unusual about the crime scene?" Brow furrowed, she shot the pangolin a curious look.

"Uh, unusual? Yeah, you could say that. Unusual in the fact that, in my fifteen years of forensic investigation, I have _never_ seen wounds like this." Rube shot her a slightly flat look, like it should have been obvious that this crime scene was weird.

"How do you mean?" Judy ignored his sarcasm, jotting down a note on her pad.

"Well, it's like…" Rube struggled with the words, tapping his claws together nervously. After a moment, he gave up. "Here, I'll show you." With that, he approached the head of the pronghorn, the same one that had entranced Judy earlier. He looked up, only to find Judy hadn't moved from her spot. She had one paw over her mouth, eyes closed as she tried to master her nausea. He stared blankly, confused, before it finally clicked. He took the few steps back to her, looking slightly mortified. "Right. Your first time. A doozy of a first case, huh?" His voice was contrite, obviously embarrassed to have upset the officer that had only been polite to him so far.

Judy swallowed, then dropped her paw to offer the tech a wan smile.

"Yeah, a real doozy." Since she still sounded sick, Rube decided to forego the show-and-tell.

"Okay, how to explain. So… see how those two look like they were cut?" He pointed out the boar and the wolf in turn. Judy managed to follow where he was pointing without being sick, but she still looked back to Rube as quickly as she could.

"Yes, that is what it looks like," she agreed, mostly to cover how she had to swallow again.

"And the antelope looks like he was hit with a grenade?" The pangolin waved an arm, indicating the area the pronghorn's remains were spread over.

"Yes?" This time, Judy wasn't quite able to look at what he was trying to show her, keeping her gaze on the tech instead.

"It looks like two different methods, but they were actually killed by the same thing." If he noticed her hesitation, he graciously ignored it.

"So...the antelope was cut to pieces?" Judy guessed.

"Actually, the other two were exploded," was Rube's short reply.

"Really?" Judy hazarded another quick glance. "It doesn't look like it."

"Well, not from a distance. But the wounds are actually quite rough, lots of burned tissue. It's like they were wrapped in det cord." Rube scratched behind an ear, obvious vexed by the strange data.

"Det cord? Detonation cord? Like they use in demolition?" Judy turned back to the tech, eyes sharp. Det cord was highly regulated. If it was indeed the murder weapon, then it ought to be fairly easy to track recent purchases.

"Well, yes and no." Rube dropped his paw, then shrugged. "This stuff was several times weaker than any det cord I've seen. I would know, we often used it at the academy to create scenarios. All of the wounds look like it took several tries to get through. The boar, especially. But, they happened so rapidly that they were each done before they hit the ground. It looks like the antelope was wrapped in three different loops and detonated _mid-air._ Maybe he jumped, maybe he was thrown, I don't know. But what I _do_ know is that it should be completely impossible to apply this stuff and detonate it, not once, but _several times_ , all in the time it took this guy to hit the ground. Like I said, impossible. But, there it is. That's what the evidence says."

There was a moment of silence as Judy scribbled some notes, making sure to get every detail of Rube's explanation.

"Wounds made by impossible application of explosives. Got it. Anything else?" Finished with her notes, she looked up, eyes still intent.

"Well, yeah. We should be looking for two more corpses. See that arm over there?" Rube pointed and, against her better judgement, Judy turned to look. Indeed, there was an arm, severed at the shoulder. It was clothed in a black sleeve and the paw was clutched around the handle of a badly damaged briefcase. That was all the detail she could gather before she had to look away. "That arm doesn't belong to anyone here. Also, it seems to have been severed with a conventional blade. No weird not-det cord there. A wound that severe would kill most mammals without immediate medical attention. So, check the local morgues and hospitals for lions with missing limbs." There was another moment of silence as Judy flipped to a new page on her pad and began taking more notes.

"You said two corpses. More severed limbs?" Though she asked seriously, Rube still chuckled at the ridiculous question.

"Heh, nope. Chunks, this time. Bone fragments, muscle tissue, red fur, bits of lung, and a whole lotta buckshot. Someone was on the wrong end of a shotgun, a big one. A shotgun that isn't here, by the way. And it had to be wielded by a big mammal. A wolf, at the very least, probably something bigger."

The mention of a shotgun got Judy's attention. The rabbit glanced over at the wolf, and it finally registered that it was, in fact, a military grade rifle he was clutching. A glance over at the boar showed that indeed, a much bigger rifle was clutched in one outstretched hoof. She looked for the antelope's weapon, but didn't see anything obvious before she was forced to look away again. After another swallow and a slow breath, she looked back to Rube.

"The uh, the victim on the wrong end of the shotgun. You said red fur. Anything else?" she asked, trying to mask how unsettled she was.

_Where could they have possibly gotten those? Projectile weapons are completely illegal!_

"Oh, yeah. The fur is canid. Judging from the blood smear, he was small. Only four foot. The color of the fur and the size of the body means it's probably a red fox." Judy nodded, jotting down notes with her carrot pen.

"Okay. Anything else?" She looked to the pangolin expectantly.

"Um…" He scratched at his face, the claws producing a faint rasping sound as they passed over his dry skin. "Right. The dead fox had an accomplice. We found some fox tracks in the blood, but they were definitely made after the blood had settled for a few minutes." Judy dutifully jotted down the details. When she looked back up, Rube waved her off. "Sorry, that's all we know for sure. If you want to know more, you'll have to wait for the official report. With how complicated this all is, that's definitely going to take a couple days, maybe more."

Judy sighed, but brightened after she had a thought. She quickly turned to a new page in her pad, jotted something down, then ripped it out. Holding out the piece of paper, she waited for the pangolin tech to take it.

"This is my personal number. If you find anything else important, or just something you think I should know, please feel free to call me anytime." After the nonplussed pangolin took the slip, Judy favored him with a polite smile and turned to leave.

Grizzoli stood alone, though judging from the uniformed water buffalo walking away, he had just finished talking to the officers from the local precinct. Judy approached him and stood at attention. When it seemed he was too deep in thought to notice her, she cleared her throat.

"Mm, Officer Grizzoli. Sir?" When the polar bear looked down at her, Judy flipped open her notebook. "I talked to Rube, and he told me-"

"Did you take notes on everything?" Grizzoli cut her off, stopping her before she could get started.

"Um- oh, yes, sir." Judy stuttered, thrown off by the interruption.

"Then just put everything in your report. I'll read it later. Now that you know something, what do you think you should do? Something useful." His voice was gruff and annoyed, like he was talking to a particularly dim child.

"Er…" It took a moment for Judy answer, flustered by the polar bear's rudeness. "Um, it seems a lion lost an arm, but they're not here. I could check local morgues and hospitals for recent amputees." At first she didn't sound confident, but by the end she sounded more sure of herself.

"Nope. Local PD is already on that." Grizzoli shot her down, just as gruff and annoyed as before.

"Um…" Judy was stumped, as she was sure that had been the next step. Thinking hard, she tried to figure what she would have done after that. "I could follow the fox tracks?"

"Wolfords already on that. C'mon, Hopps, something useful!" Grizzoli was toeing the line between being stern and berating her.

"Uh-uh, I could…" Judy temporized, trying to think of the next step. "...I could talk to the locals! See if anyone saw something?" The last part was definitely a question, seeing how Grizzoli was still glaring down at her.

"My job. Hopps, you're not going to be any help here. Just head back to the-"

"Wait! I could- I could-" Now it was Judy's turn to interrupt the bear. Images of bright orange safety vests and a pathetic parking enforcement vehicle flashed behind her eyes, driving her to desperation. Wait. Parking enforcement. "I could check the traffic cameras! Maybe one recorded something!" Judy stared up at her superior, paws clasped together as she begged, ears laying flat on her back.

Grizzoli glared down at her, clearly offended that she had the audacity to talk over him. After a few uncomfortable moments, he finally budged. With a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head, he succumbed to Judy's plea.

"Fine. Check the cameras. Just get out of here!" He pointed down the pier to make his point. Judy nodded rapidly and took off, not wanting to upset him anymore.

* * *

The cameras didn't record anything.

Now, the day was over, and Judy sat alone in her apartment. She leant on her desk, face in her hands as she tried not to cry.

_Bogo's going to assign me to records tomorrow. I'll be buried in paperwork until Yule. That's it. I'll end up spending my entire first year on the force with nothing to show for it but parking tickets and paperwork._

With a miserable sigh, she slouched back in her chair.

"I guess I really am just a token bunny." She paused, waiting for her nosy neighbors to chime in. For once, they were silent. She turned to the wall, ears perked in irritation, a little miffed that they hadn't taken the bait when she obviously needed the distraction. "Oh, come on! What, three months of bugging me and you choose _now_ to-!"

_Rrrr! Rrrr!_

The sound of her phone buzzing instantly grabbed her attention, the bunny spinning back to snatch it off her desk. The number wasn't one she recognised, but she answered anyway.

"Hello, this is Judy Hopps speaking." Oh, Sweet Bunny _Jesus_ , she hoped this wasn't someone selling car insurance.

"Yes, Officer Hopps? This is Rube. You remember when we spoke earlier today?" Judy blinked in surprise, a little shocked that her prayer had been answered. She had almost forgotten what that felt like. "You said to call you if we found something important, or if it was just something I thought you should know."

"Oh, yes! Of course." Judy reached out her free paw and snagged a pen from the cup, poising it over the notepad she kept on her desk.

"Well, this is definitely both of those. Remember that second missing corpse we talked about? The red fox on the wrong end of the shotgun. And then the accomplice fox, that walked away and left tracks."

"Of course." Judy nodded her head, even though the pangolin couldn't see.

"We finished the analysis on the blood, and the tracks. We also found a discarded shirt. One with a big hole blown in it. Once we added everything together, it pointed to something impossible."

"What? What is it?" Judy strained her hearing, desperate to get every detail.

"They're the same fox."

"...what?" Judy slumped in her chair, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"The red fox. He died on that pier, then walked away."


	2. Doing the Zombie Shuffle

_Nick Wilde had just finished up the day's 'work'_ _with Finnick. The van was rolling away, and Nick was halfway through a lazy wave goodbye when his phone began to ring in his pocket. Whipping it out, the fox raised a brow when he saw the caller ID said 'Private Number'. With a careless shrug, he swiped the icon towards 'answer'._

" _Nick Wilde, business or pleasure?" The phrase was said with just a touch of sass. No one called this number for pleasure._

" _Mr. Wilde? Call me Ms. Hertz. I'm told you know everybody?" Her voice was smooth and dark, like tinted glass. Nick smiled._

" _You were told right,_ Ms. _Hertz. How can this humble fox help you?" He hadn't used his own 'tinted glass' voice since his stint with the Bigs. Glad to know he could still pull it off._

" _I need something to… Disappear." The pause, rather than hesitant, seemed to be made for dramatic effect. That made Nick smile wider. He could appreciate someone with flair._

" _Let's talk in person. Can't trust phones these days. You can never be sure how many people are on the line. Have you heard of Stripe's Bar?"_

* * *

_Nick met her at the door. A lioness, she was tall and slender for her kind, though she carried herself with an ease and grace that he had only seen a few times before. She wore sensible business attire. Lady's slacks, a white blouse and a black jacket. She carried a simple black briefcase._

_She allowed Nick to lead her inside. The bar was actually quite nice, and most of the tables and booths were full of mammals in casual and business wear. Nick, wearing one of his usual tropical print shirts and slacks, fit right in, as did the lioness. Still, they got one of the more private booths near the back._

" _Now, when you say 'disappear'..." Nick prompted after the waitress had taken their orders. The lioness smiled reassuringly._

" _I need to leave the country with as few witnesses as possible," she said simply. Nick nodded, masking his relief with a smile._

" _That is easily arranged. Depending on your…budget, several options are available."_

_The lioness smiled knowingly. Placing her briefcase on the table with a muffled thump, she opened it before withdrawing a large manila envelope. She slid it across to the fox, who took it with a raised brow. Opening it, the sight of the_ numerous _hundred dollar bills inside had both of his eyebrows raised high._

" _The Deluxe Package it is, then." Quickly mastering his surprise and excitement, he favored the lioness with an easy smirk. Dropping the envelope to the bench seat, it disappeared just as the waitress returned with their drinks. Once they were alone again, Nick took a hold of his glass. He refrained from taking a sip, instead gently swirling the glass, setting the amber liquid inside to spinning._

" _Well, Mr. Wilde? Are you satisfied?" Far from sounding impatient, Ms. Hertz was practically purring. Nick's mask remained perfectly unaffected, eyes half-lidded and smug smirk still perfectly in place. He'd been doing this too long to get suckered by a feline's charms,_ especially _if that feline was twice his size. Life over libido, and all._

" _The money's good, but I'm not selling you a used car, here. If you want to get out of here quietly, without raising any eyebrows, I need to make a few phone calls, lubricate a few bureaucratic gears. Tomorrow night is the earliest I can do." When it seemed he was about to stall her, the lioness looked ready to object. But, the mention of the next night calmed her._

" _Very well, Mr. Wilde." She looked slightly put off, but resigned to the delay. "How do we do this?"_

" _Your part in this is very easy. Meet back here tomorrow at ten. I'll guide you to the captain of a_ very _comfortable two bedroom yacht. Then, you'll be on your way and I'll be on mine."_

" _Hm. That's agreeable. However, I am putting some faith in you. How do I know you won't cut and run?" A raised eyebrow accompanied the question._

" _I know what you are." The quick response seemed to darken Ms. Hertz mood, and her face certainly matched. Nick continued, before any misunderstandings were made. "You're a killer. A good one, if my read on you is right and, trust me, it always is. I want your money, not_ you _after_ me _. If I take this," he held up the envelope, "You can_ know _that I'm going to hold up my end of the bargain."_

* * *

Everything _hurt._

Nick stumbled down a dingy alley, the disoriented fox barely able to keep upright as he trudged along. The fox felt like he'd been worked over by Mr. Big's polar bear goons, _again._ Muscles were stiff and sore, ears were ringing, vision was blurry, and if it had ever hurt this much to breathe before, he certainly didn't care to remember it.

The fox stopped to lean against the rough brick facade of the building next to him, gasping, trying to get his breath back in spite of the amazing pain in his chest. Obviously, he couldn't go on like this. However, a lifetime of skirting the law had taught him that acting without thinking was a sure way to get caught. Time to strategize.

_Hospital?_

_No, thanks to that mess back there, the cops will definitely be checking local hospitals._

_How about a_ farther away _hospital?_

_Less chance of capture, but still risky. The hospital always calls the cops when someone gets shot..._

The fox let out a sigh, one part annoyance, one part exhaustion, and three parts agony. _Why_ did it have to hurt to breathe _so much?_

_Okay, if not a hospital, then a back alley doctor. Who's closest?_

_Honey's hidey hole is in Rainforest District._

_Yeah, the_ other side _of the Rainforest District._

_So? Better than dying. Just need transport._

_What transport? You're covered in blood! No cab is going to take you, the bus lines shut down hours ago, and the trains don't take cash._

_We'll call Finn._

_How? You didn't bring your phone._

Nick grunted in annoyance. That was a problem. To get a burner cell, he would have to go to a store, which had cameras. What few working pay phones that were still around were always in view of a traffic camera. Hell, just going out on the street to ask a random passerby for the use of their phone held a huge risk of getting recorded. Damn Orwellian surveillance state.

_Think. Lots of mammals sell burners. Some of them hate cameras as much as me. One or two of those are nocturnal. Any near here?_

The pain was distracting, but eventually Nick got through his mental catalog of criminals, nutcases, and fellow con-mammals. One name stood out from the rest. Kinky Joe, off Banana Lane.

Course decided, Nick set off through the night.

* * *

After a blurry, painful, exhausting experience ducking and weaving through the Canals, Nick felt like it might actually be a better option to curl up and die, rather than walk the last three blocks to Kinky Joe's hidden pavilion.

The fox leant heavily against an apartment high rise disguised as a baobab tree, trying to get his breath back for the fourth time in the last half hour. He swallowed painfully, his throat dry from constant gasping.

"Excuse me?" The unexpected voice made him flinch. The fox glanced over his shoulder to find an elderly beaver crossing the street towards him. Nick turned away with a groan, dropping his head against the tree bark facade. Eyes clenching in frustration, he silently cursed himself for allowing his flagging reserves force him to take the quick route, rather than the hidden one. The beaver spoke up again as she got closer.

"Excuse me, do you need me to call an ambulance? It sounds like you're having an awful lot of trouble bre-aaah," she trailed off lamely, having finally gotten close enough to Nick to see him clearly in the dim streets. Beavers had excellent hearing and smell. Poor vision. "You're a fox." She shifted nervously, clutching her purse. In spite of his completely exhausted state, Nick still found enough energy to smile sardonically.

" _Rugh-_ " the rasp that escaped his throat surprised him. He swallowed and tried again. " _Really?_ " He almost couldn't recognise his voice, it was so rough. Wouldn't stop him from making a smart-ass remark, though. " _I was an ewe an hour ago. Some-_ " He was forced to take a deep breath, annoyed that _talking_ was tiring, now. " _Someone must have spiked my drink._ " Hopefully the beaver would get the hint and leave.

"I'm trying to help you, _boy._ " No such luck, and now she sounded offended. Nick _did not_ have the energy _or_ the patience to deal with a pissy old broad. Taking a moment to gather what was left of his reserves, he turned to face her, fully intending to look her in the eye and say something really rude.

" _Listen, you old cu-"_ was as far as he got. Then the screaming started.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY _GOD!_ " The beaver was backing away now, staring at his chest with horror. Nick flinched away from the sudden noise, pressing himself against the wall behind him and staring at the beaver like she had lost her mind. When she turned and began to run, not hurry, _run,_ Nick got the idea that _maybe_ it was possible that he looked _worse_ than he felt.

" _What, never seen a fox covered in blood before?_ " It was only pure smarmy reflex that kept him talking, as the beaver was already too far away to hear him. Realizing that the interaction had a very real chance of bringing police attention, the fox took off immediately. The shouting, combined with the fear of capture, gave him just enough adrenaline to get him into the next alley with some haste.

He spent a few minutes hiding behind a dumpster, breathing deeply and waiting for his energy to return. So far, he had resisted the urge to touch his chest wound, as he knew that would only make things worse. Now, haunted by the beaver's horrified expression, he raised a shaky paw to check the damage. Carefully, he touched the edge of the jagged hole. Just as expected, a sharp shock of pain radiated from the contact. He gasped and whined, but persisted. Feeling along the edge, he found the hole larger than his palm, and lay just above his sternum

His paw hovered over the grievous wound, shaking while he tried to psych himself up for the, without a doubt, _agonizing_ process of determining the _depth_ of the wound. However, just before he could reach inward, the image of his paw touching his exposed heart popped into his mind. Courage gone, he dropped the paw to his side.

* * *

This time he stuck to the hidden route, no matter how tired he was.

Pushing aside a wooden panel, he let it drop to the ground with a thud. Stepping over it, he turned to his right and started shuffling towards the haphazard amalgam of sheets, tarps, sticks and rebar that was his destination.

" _He-Hey! Kinky! Kinky Joe!_ " he called out as he drew closer. A smile of relief spread across his face as someone responded.

" _Que porra é essa?_ Must be dat _filho de puta_ Wilde! I tol' ya! My name's _Kevin._ " Nick put a paw over his wound just before the tarp that covered the entrance to the ramshackle tent was pulled back. A two foot tall mammal stood before him, with beige fur and beady brown eyes. His body was slim like a ferret's, but his tail was as long as he was tall. His species name was 'kinkajou', hence Nick's irritating nickname.

" _Sorry, Kinky. You know me, too stupid to remember a proper name._ " Nick smiled cheekily, careful to keep the exposed teeth to a minimum. Kevin rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, _cuzão._ What do ya'…" Kevin trailed off as he began to take in Nick's sorry state. After a slow once over, he leaned in to take a sniff, only to recoil at the overpowering stench of blood. Putting a paw over his nose, he glared up Nick. " _Porra!_ Ya' messed _up_ , Wilde! The hell happened t' ya?"

" _Someone crashed my_ _party. Say, you wouldn't happen to still be selling those…"_ Nick paused to take a breath, then continued, " _burners, wouldja? I need to make a call._ "

"I don't doubt it! Who ya gonna call, yo' priest? Ya look like ya about t' drop!" Nick just shook his head.

" _C'mon, Kinky. Help me out. I got cash._ " It was as close to pleading as Nick had gotten in a long time. Kevin eyed him suspiciously, then turned away with a shrug.

"Whatever, fox. I got watcha' need. Flip 'r smart?" he dropped the tarp without waiting for an answer, disappearing into his tent.

" _Whichever is cheaper!_ " Nick called through the flimsy barrier. There came some grumbling, then the sound of shuffling boxes. Within thirty seconds the kinkajou was back, carrying a plain white box with the picture of a flip phone on it. He had to hold it with both paws, as it was made for animals several times his size. When Nick reached out for it, Kevin jerked it away. He glared at Nick's confused look, dropping the box so he could hold up one paw, digits rubbing together in the universal sign for money.

"Ah-ah, _babaca._ This aint' no charity. Cash first. Forty spots or ya' walk." Nick rolled his eyes, but reached for the small stache in his back pocket. Soon he had two slightly bloody twenties held out. Kevin reached out to take the bills, but paused. His eyes slipped to Nick's other paw, which was still covering his chest. The instant the kinkajou's eyebrow rose, Nick knew there was going to be trouble.

" _You don't want to see this. Trust me. The last mammal ran screaming._ " The attempt to discourage curiosity only seemed to intrigue Kevin. Face spreading out in a nasty smile, tail waving in excitement, he made his intention clear.

"Well, now I just _gotta_ see. I know ya' need dis cell, Wilde, now show me what ya' hidin', 'for I start raisin' the price." He looked into Nick's eyes, daring him to disagree. With a defeated sigh, the paw covering the wound dropped to the fox's side. Nick's growing sense of unease turned to outright alarm as the kinkajou's face first showed curiosity, then confusion, then disbelief. Finally, fear, stark and profound.

" _Vodu. Magia negra! Uma_ _Maldição!_ " Kevin's voice started at a whisper, but rose rapidly to a shout. Snatching the box from his side, he flung it at Nick's head, who barely managed to raise his arms in time to block the improvised projectile. While the fox fumbled with the package, Kevin spun and rushed back into his tent, totally panicked. " _Vá embora! Fora!_ Go! Get away!"

" _What's gotten into-_ WHOA!" Kevin darted back out of the tent, tire iron brandished in one paw. Nick threw himself backwards to dodge a swing at his snout. Stumbling over his own feet, he fell to the ground on his back. With no time to collect himself, he was forced to scramble away on all fours, the box with the burner clutched in one paw, to avoid a downward swing. The tire iron bounced off the concrete with a sharp _clang!_ Nick continued to crawl away, only rising to his feet once there was a few yards between him and the inexplicably violent kinkajou.

" _Aborto!_ You don't come back, hear me! I smash your skull! _Diabo!_ " He brandished his tire iron, swinging it threateningly over his head. Nick watched him wearily and backed away, not daring to let the kinkajou out of his sight until he reached a corner. Then he turned and fled.

* * *

While the box was pretty beat up, the packaging saved the cell phone from any damage. Which was good, because after his brush with an irate Kinky Joe, Nick didn't think he could walk one more block. So, it was with a profound sense of relief that he finally made that call to Finnick.

"The _hell_ is this!? You better have a _damn_ good reason for calling me right now! Some mammals have to _work_ to make living, you know. I oughta-!" Nick smiled while he listened to his little friend rant, his unusually deep, gravely voice a soothing balm after this hellish night. The red fox waited for the fennec fox to run out of breath, then interjected before he could start up again.

" _Finn, I need your help._ " The statement seemed to surprise Finnick, if the silence that followed was any indication.

"Nick? That you? You sound _bad_ , vulp." Hearing Finnick's gruff concern made Nick feel a little warm inside. Usually he would have relished the chance to tease the smaller fox over any perceived weakness. This time? He was just _too tired._

" _It's bad, Finn. I'm a couple blocks from Kevin's place, Banana Lane. I need you to come pick me up._ " The admittance of 'need' between the two was usually taboo. Nick's use of it highlighted how dire his circumstance was.

"How bad we talkin'?" Finn's voice was all business.

" _I need you to take me to Honey._ "

"Damn, that bad?"

" _Yeah._ "

"I gotcha, Nick. Be there in twenty."

" _Thanks, Finn_."

"Hey, wait. You bloody?"

" _Afraid so, big guy._ "

"Then you ride in the back."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, almost to the second, the familiar van came to a stop just outside the alley where Nick was hiding. Wasting no time, Finnick threw the gear into park and jumped out the door, handling the four foot drop to the pavement with an ease born of practice.

Hurrying around the van, he moved as fast as he could without drawing suspicion. The streets might _look_ empty, but years of skirting the edges of the law had taught the diminutive fox to _never_ discount the possibility of being watched, _especially_ somewhere that hadn't been scoped out.

Nick met him at the mouth of the alley, already shuffling towards the van's back door. Finnick stared in surprise, shocked that the taller fox looked so terrible. Anyone that knew the red fox knew he had a silver tongue. He was quite gifted at talking himself out of trouble, and it had been _years_ since so much as a punch had been thrown his way.

Once he got passed just how much blood he could see and _smell_ on his business partner, the fennec noticed other things. The wound in his chest, carefully covered by a paw, was the first thing he noticed. That was somewhat expected, considering he asked to go to Honey.

The second thing he noticed was the exhaustion. Wilted ears, sunken eyes, slumped shoulders, limp tail, and dragging paws all pointed to a serious lack of energy. A red flag was immediately thrown up in his mind.

"Wait a minute." Two steps took him into Nick's path. The taller fox stopped, staring down at him in bewilderment. "Can you get in the van?"

Nick continued to stare, utterly bemused.

"... _yes,_ " he rasped.

"Without smearing up my paint job?" Confusion gone, Nick leveled a half hearted glare at the shorter fox.

" _Finn, I am_ _dying_ _._ _Could you put aside your mechaphilia, just this once?_ " Nick asked, tone tinged with genuine annoyance.

"I don't care if yer dying! Yer not messing up my ride!" Bared teeth and and sharp eyes put some bite into the statement. "Imma' get the ramp out. Get outta' those nasty threads, they're not coming with us." Finnick turned and disappeared around the side of the van, apparently done with the conversation.

Nick stood there for moment, contemplating whether or not the fennec was serious. Finally deciding that _yes_ , he _was_ serious, the fox began the process of peeling off his ruined clothes. The first part was the hardest. The blood had dried and stuck his shirt to his fur, and it was eye wateringly painful to pull it away from the edges of his wound. That done, he dropped the soiled garment onto the pavement. The pants were much easier.

Once he was standing in only his boxers, the fox resumed his trek. By the time he made it around to the passenger side door, the aluminum ramp was already set up.

Finnick stood near by, glancing around suspiciously at all of the nearby buildings and their many darkened windows. He kept his back turned as Nick limped up the ramp behind him, letting the fox keep as much of his dignity as possible.

Nick was annoyed, but not surprised, when he found the floor was mostly covered in a thick sheet of plastic. Still, it was better than the street, and the fox felt immense relief as he laid down, finally allowing his aching, exhausted body to rest. He was so tired he didn't even flinch when Finnick threw the ramp back into place, the ramp sliding home with a _clang!_

Before Finnick had even gotten back into driver seat, Nick slipped into a hazy stupor, caught somewhere between warm, numb sleep and cold, painful awareness.

With the rumbling growl of the engine, they were off.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to DragoLord19D and idontknowwhattoput124 for the beta work.
> 
> Drago has some interesting stories of his own, some unusual crossovers. You should check them out on [FFNet.](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3741763/)


	3. Cold Shoulder

_The next day, Nick was at Stripe's, a glass of amber liquid in paw. Another glass, still full, sat on the table in front of him. Taking a sip, he glanced at the clock hanging over the bar. 9:59. As he watched, the digital display changed. 10:00._

_That very second, Ms. Hertz came through the door, still wearing that sensible suit and carrying a briefcase. Nick smirked knowingly, placing his glass back down. What was it with the killer-for-hire types and the obsession with being exactly on time?_

_The lioness made her way directly to him, sliding into the seat adjacent, briefcase in her lap. Her eyes flicked to his drinks, one of which was halfway finished._

" _Are we drinking?" There was just a touch of reproach in her tone. Nick just gave her his usual smug look. He slid the full glass over, careful not to spill any of the precious liquid inside._

" _Just one. A venture like this deserves a toast, I think," he said thoughtfully. After a second's thought, Ms. Hertz accepted the drink. Lifting the glass to her lips, she gave it a slow sniff, before sipping the amber liquid. She closed her eyes, giving an appreciative sigh. When she opened them again, her eyes, nearly the same shade of amber as her drink, rested on Nick's own greens._

" _What shall we toast, Mr. Wilde?" She asked demurely. Nick smirked, wondering just how bad it hurt the alpha lioness to fake deference to a lowlife fox like him._

" _Have you ever heard of 'tangential lines', Ms. Hertz?" At her quirked brow, Nick continued. "They're two lines on a graph. One is a complicated line made by a complicated equation. The other is a simple line made by a simple equation. However…" Nick waved his paws slowly, empty paw demonstrating a wandering point, while the paw holding his glass slowly cut through the air, demonstrating a straight line. "These lines will meet at a single point," his empty paw wandered to his full one. He extended his index fingers, touching the claws on each together. "Then split…" he brought his paws apart, sweeping them both to the side in a grand gesture. "Never to meet again."_

" _I think I understand." She smirked at him knowingly, then raised her glass. Nick raised his, their glasses gently tapping with a bell like_ ting! " _To tangential lines, and never meeting again."_

* * *

After a restless night of dreams about disembodied pronghorn heads, decapitated wolves and zombie foxes, Judy was glad to leave her suddenly claustrophobic apartment for work. Even if she was about to be assigned to records.

Passing through the front doors of the ZPD, she was surprised when Clawhauser frantically waved her over. As the bunny approached his desk, the portly dispatcher practically vibrated in his chair.

"I heard you got put on a case?!" The exclamation was so loud that Judy was sure everyone in the station heard. After a glance around to see if anyone was staring, she turned back to the excitable cat, her face embarrassed and ears warm.

"Yeah, Ben. I got put on a case. But just as a helper-" Judy was cut off by a shout.

" _HOPPS!_ " The rabbit and cheetah jumped at the unexpected noise. They both turned to find Bogo leaning out of the bullpen door. "Get your fuzzy tail to interview room three, now! Grizzoli will brief you." Without waiting for a reply, he pulled the door shut, disappearing inside. Judy stared in surprise for moment, then turned back to Ben. He stared back at her, just as surprised.

"...I have to get to work," she said simply, turning to go deeper into the station.

"Good luck, honey-bun! I'm rootin' for ya!" Benjamin called after her. Judy turned to shoot him a smile and a little wave over her shoulder, then turned and focused on her destination.

* * *

"'Bout time you got here. Didn't I tell you to come in early?" Grizzoli _was_ waiting for her, and he already looked miffed. The question caught Judy off guard. She took a moment to carefully review all of her interactions with the polar bear, and came up empty.

"Um, no? Sir. You didn't," she said, slowly. Even though it was the truth, the arctic ursine still looked irritated by her answer.

"Whatever. The media caught wind of all the weirdness in the case, and now every nutbar from here to the Canals is blowing up the tip line. Got a few dozen mammals here wanting to give a statement in person. That'll be your job. Take the statements, sort em', give me the ones that make _any_ sense, toss the rest. Think you can handle that?" He looked down at her with derision, like he actually expected her to say _no, I can't._

"Yes, sir. I can handle that. I'll get those statements to you as soon as possible." Judy looked him in the eye, voice firm. Grizzoli rolled his eyes and walked away. Ignoring her disdainful superior's snub, she walked into the interview room. Someone was already waiting for her. A manul, a cat not much taller than Judy, with thick fur sticking out in every direction, sat at the desk, a thick, messy folder clutched in his paws.

The rabbit officer took the other chair, giving a friendly smile to the small predator while she took out a pen and grabbed one of the blank statement forms from the stack.

"Hello! I'm Officer Judy Hopps. I'll be taking your statement today. Could I get your name for the record, Mr…?" It took her a second, but Judy realized that the manul wasn't looking at her. Instead, it was like he was looking _through her_. Judy waved her paw, trying to get the cat's attention. He jerked to awareness, startling Judy a little as well.

"Aliens," he said, suddenly intensely focused on her. Judy sat back, a sinking feeling in her chest.

"Aliens?" she asked, voice dismayed.

" _Aliens,_ " he confirmed. Judy fought the urge to sigh. This was going to be harder than she thought.

* * *

Nine alien abductions, twelve government conspiracies, fourteen mammals looking for reward money, three incomprehensible ramblings, and a racist anti-predator hate speech later, Judy was about ready to give up on ever making the world a better place. How could she, when it was populated by these _psychos!?_

As the latest crazy showed himself out, Judy dropped her face into her paws. She spent a few moments just gathering herself, hoping against hope that that was the last one, or at least that the next one made a lick of sense. Hearing the door open again, the rabbit instantly put her paws down, a professional mask descending over her features.

The elderly beaver that walked in _looked_ normal enough. An ankle length skirt, beige blouse, and red cardigan. A big brown purse finished the ensemble.

As her latest interviewee took her seat, Judy automatically grabbed another sheet off the now much thinner stack, pen poised and ready.

"Please state your name for the record." Judy's voice was flat and mechanical, devoid of her usual enthusiasm.

"Fabia Castor." If she noticed Judy's less-than-warm demeanor, the beaver didn't let it show. After printing the name in the appropriate box, Judy looked up, a polite, if a little strained, smile on her face.

"Mrs. Castor, thank you for coming in today. Now, I understand you are here because you have information on an ongoing investigation. What might that be?" Even if she was frustrated, Judy _was not_ going to let her professionalism slip.

"I saw one of the criminals last night. The fox, the one on the news?" Judy's head shot up at the mention of a fox, ears perked. As far as she knew, the species of the two confirmed survivors hadn't been given out, only that they had been wounded.

"A fox? You're sure?" Judy intently watched the other woman, looking for any signs of deceit.

"Oh, yes, ma'am. There's no mistaking those teeth, or that bad attitude." The beaver looked genuinely peeved, so at least Judy was sure she _actually_ saw a fox last night. Now, to confirm it was the fox they were looking for.

"Could you describe him for me? Height, coloration, clothes, that sort of thing?" Judy's questions came a little fast, the bunny not quite able to contain her excitement.

"He was taller than most foxes I've seen, and thin. Red fur. Mmm…" Mrs. Castor trailed off, eyes raising to the ceiling as she remembered. "I didn't get a good look at his face. But I... wasn't really looking…" The beaver went quiet again, fidgeting in her chair. Her eyes sank to the floor, and she clutched her purse to her chest, as though to protect herself from the memory.

"Mrs. Castor? Is something wrong?" Judy asked, ears slightly wilted. The beaver was silent for a long moment. Her eyes flicked from the floor to Judy's sympathetic face, then back to the floor. She took in a long breath, then let it out again.

"I think that young man is dead." The statement was said with certainty. Judy was taken aback, not expecting it at all.

"Why would you say that?" While her voice was still soft, there was no masking the surprise.

"There…" Mrs. Castor went still. Her eyes slid closed, and she visibly gathered herself. "There was a hole in his chest. Big enough to stick my arm through." When her demeanor didn't change, eyes closed and purse still clutched to her chest, Judy got the idea that, in spite of the story being weird enough, it wasn't over.

"Is there more?" Judy asked, gently.

Mrs. Castor seemed to wilt in her seat, shrinking in on herself. She covered her mouth with a shaky paw. After a while, she opened her eyes to look at Judy. Then she pulled her paw from her lips, just enough to speak.

"There was something in his chest. Something... _glowing._ "

* * *

It took another twenty minutes, but Judy did eventually get all of the details of the encounter from the distraught beaver, including time and place. Then, after walking the elderly woman to the door, she sorted all of the statements from most likely relevant to least, put Mrs. Castor's on top, and grabbed the stack to take to Grizzoli.

As she did, her eyes wandered to the end of the report, where she had summed up all of the descriptions of the fox Mrs. Castor could remember.

**-Tall**

**-Thin**

**-Red fur**

**-Green tropical print shirt**

**-Bad attitude**

She paused, her paws lingering on the sides of the page. The traits sounded familiar…

_The tall, slender fox bent down, paws on his knees, so he could look her right in the eye as he tore her down._

" _Everyone comes to Zootopia thinking they can be anything they want. Well, you_ can't." _His voice was smooth and conversational, like he was explaining the weather rather than verbally crushing her dreams._

" _You can only be what you are_." _He stood as he spoke, looking down at her with an infuriatingly smug superiority. "Sly fox," he indicated himself, a paw on the chest of his muted green tropical print button up shirt. Then he held the paw out to indicate her. "Dumb bunny."_

The memory made her gasp. Judy couldn't believe it. Could the _popsicle hustler_ be one of the mammal's they were looking for? It seemed unlikely, but a feeling in Judy's gut said _yes, it's him!_

Excitedly, she grabbed the stack of statements and jumped from her chair, rushing to deliver the news to Grizzoli.

* * *

The polar bear was at his desk in the cubicle farm, chewing a pencil into ruin as he stared down at his notepad. He hummed to himself, deep in thought as he contemplated the details of the case, and what they could mean.

"Grizzoli!" Which is why he jumped so hard when that annoying rabbit shouted his name from right behind his chair. With a snarl on his muzzle, he slammed the notepad and pencil on his desk. Then he whirled his office chair to face the source of his ire.

"WHAT?!" His shout toed the line in what was acceptable in a professional work environment.

"I might have a lead on one of our survivors!" Judy exclaimed enthusiastically, completely unbothered by the bear's peeved response. Grizzoli's mouth opened to reflexively deny that the rabbit could have done _anything_ useful. Thankfully, his brain caught up before he could say something that would get him reprimanded. Instead, he slumped back in his chair, staring grumpily at the still beaming Judy.

"That so?" His voice was as sullen as his posture.

"That's right!" If Judy noticed his displeasure, she sure didn't let it show. "A beaver came in to give a statement, Mrs. Castor. She saw an injured fox at the right place _and_ the right time!" The bunny was so excited she actually bounced in place. Grizzoli harrumphed, disgusted by her enthusiasm.

"That her statement?" He eyed the stack of paper in her paws. The forms were meant for larger mammals, so they looked oversized in her small paws.

"Hm?" Judy's head dropped down to look at the stack of papers, almost like she had forgotten she was holding them. Then her gaze shot back up to Grizzoli. "Oh! Yes. All of the statements given in person, ordered by relevance, just like you asked. Mrs. Castor's is on top." She stepped forward to hand the forms to her superior, who leaned forward to take them.

Grizzoli turned his chair back around, dropped the stack onto his desk and began reading the one on top. Scanning through it, he quickly found something that he was sure he didn't read right. Scanning it a second time didn't clarify anything, and a third reading just angered him.

"Hopps! The _hell_ is this?" he asked, ire in his voice. He snatched the offending piece of paper off his desk, crumbling one corner in his fist while he whirled back around. He glared down at Judy, just to make sure she was paying attention. Seeing her dismayed face, eyes focused squarely on him, he switched his attention to the form clutched in his paw and began reading aloud. "'Something in his chest, possibly animating his corpse, whether technological or organic is unknown'?" He dropped his paw into his lap, staring at the rabbit with undisguised disgust. "This is _a police precinct,_ not some harebrained ghostbusters. You call _this_ a _lead!?_ " He shook the crumbled paper at her.

At first Judy shrunk away from the tongue-lashing, but her usual fire quickly reasserted itself. Straightening, she puffed herself up, not willing to be talked to like she was moron.

"Sir, it sounds strange, but everything fits! The time; the place; the species; the clothes!" Judy held out a paw, extending a digit with every detail she pointed out, then she swept it out to the side. "And forensics reported that the fox was _critically wounded,_ and then walked away! Maybe he was-!"

"Wait-wait-wait!" Grizzoli put out a paw, bringing Judy to a halt. "How do you know that? I only got that report this morning, and I _didn't_ share it with _you._ " He was glaring at her now, not with annoyance, but real anger.

Sensing the shift in her superior, Judy carefully considered her next words.

"I… asked the forensics team to call me," she said, delicately. Whatever response she was expecting, it wasn't the one she got. There was a long, painful silence, then...

"Heh. Heh heh. Heh-heh-ha-ha-HA!" The polar bear began to chuckle, then laugh outright. It wasn't a happy sound. The last time Judy had heard anything like it, one of her brothers got his face punched in. After a tense few moments, Grizzoli calmed enough to speak. "You cocky little _snatch._ " He speared Judy with a look, scorn written all over his face. "If you _ever_ try to sidestep the chain of command again, I'll make it my life's work to _ruin you._ "

Judy's natural instinct was to cower before the much larger predator and his threatening posture. If she had let something as simple as instinct stop her from doing something, she never would have gotten this far.

The little bunny stood tall, defiantly looking Grizzoli in the eye.

"If you want to punish me, fine. My job is to help good mammals and stop bad ones, and I thought it was your job, too. Guess I was wrong. You must stick around for the free coffee." A stifled gasp drew Judy's attention to the side. She saw Officer Delgato standing by his desk, watching her attentatively. It was only then that Judy realised how quiet the room had gotten. Looking around, she spotted no less than a dozen animals, officers and clerks alike, that had stopped what they were doing to watch the unfolding drama.

Grizzoli also noticed the eery silence, and he didn't need to look around to know all eyes were on him.

"Fine." Crumpling Mrs. Castor's statement in his fist, he reached out, dropping the wad of paper at Judy's feet. "You're so sure about this lead, _you_ follow it. Get out." To further cement his dismissal, he turned his chair around, hunched over his desk, and began reading the other statements.

Acutely aware of the eyes still trained on her, Judy bent down to grab the balled up sheet of paper. Straightening, she turned and left, walking as fast as dignity and grace would allow.

* * *

Judy knew, from having checked before, that Popsicle Hustler's real name was Nicholas 'Nick' Wilde. Age 32, single, lives alone, no family, self employed, no arrest record. Only known associate was Herschel 'Finnick' Bernardi, no known address, _also_ no arrest record, and owner of the van the two foxes ran their various questionable businesses out of.

The obvious first choice would be to go to Nick's apartment, but Judy had a feeling that the fox would be smarter than to hide out at an address anyone could look up. With that out, the only other place to check would be Finnick's van. Harder to track down, but not impossible, especially for someone who had official police access to Zootopia's Traffic Cam Network.

Judy, alone in the computer lab, was going through the humiliation of having to use a computer meant for mammals ten times her size. She crouched on top of the desk, leant over the keyboard, both paws hovering over the enormous space bar, eyes intent on the screen. Using more strength than she cared to admit, she pushed the oversized key down, and the video feed paused. Smirking victoriously, she noted the familiar van pulling into the alley behind Sahara Square's Dead End Bar. Pulling out her notepad, she wrote down the address. Turning, she leapt from the desk. She hit the ground running, off to track down her suspect.

_I'm coming for you, Slick Nick!_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to [RandomNobody37](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7948839/) and [Gamer4COD](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8036169/) for taking the time to preview the chapter.
> 
> Many more thanks to [Chesterization](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4630560/), who has given me invaluable advice on how to improve my writing, and to [DragoLord19D](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3741763/), for correcting my technical failures.
> 
> All four of these wonderful people have written stories of their own, and all are very interesting, each in their own way. I recommend checking them out.
> 
> P.S. I lifted 'Herschel Bernardi' straight from the Zootopia Wiki.
> 
> P.P.S. idontknowwhattoput124, a collaborator of mine, has gone silent. Mary, if you're reading this, I hope you're alright.


	4. Honey and Vinegar

_Nick lead Ms. Hertz through the Canals, taking back roads, alleys, and rickety bridges. It took nearly an hour, during which the duo was completely silent. The fox wouldn't have minded conversation, but his companion was putting out clear signals that she didn't want to talk, so he respected her wishes._

_It was nearing eleven, and they had been walking along a river bank for about five minutes, passing pier after pier. Most had shabby, cheap fishing vessels, interspersed with the occasional small pleasure craft. Which is why when they came to a pier that had only one boat, and that boat was a forty five foot yacht bedecked mostly in rich red mahogany, Ms. Hertz knew immediately they had arrived at their destination._

_Seeing the end was near, Nick smiled at the thought of sending the dangerous lioness away. Turning, he took the few steps down to the dock. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted Ms. Hertz gracefully descending the stairs behind him. He turned to face her, indicating the boat at the end of the dock with a wave of his arm, bowing theatrically._

" _Ms. Hertz, let me introduce you to the_ Amoureux de la Mer. _It means-"_

" _Lover of the Sea," she interrupted. Nick looked up, eyebrow cocked._

"Parlez-vous français, ma dame?" _His accent was surprisingly authentic._

"Oui, monsieur," _she answered. Her deep, rich voice made the words sultry, and they seemed to caress his ears as they passed. Nick chuckled, impressed in spite of himself._

" _A lady of many talents…," he muttered, walking the rest of the way down the pier. Approaching the gangplank, Nick motioned for Ms. Hertz to remain. "Allow me to fetch the captain. Chuck might be deaf as a board of wood, but he's even better at keeping secrets." So saying, he turned and made his way up the wide plank. Soon, he was on deck. Seeing no sign of the captain, he made his way toward the door that lead below deck. Donning his best pirate impersonation, he threw open the door._

" _Chuck! Ye lily livered sluggard! Where…?" Nick trailed off fearfully as the barrel of a gun was pressed into his forehead. When the pressure increased, Nick submissively stepped back. The black furred wolf that stepped through the door was a nightmare lifted right out of Nick's genetic memory. The fox kept his eyes fearfully on the intimidating soldier holding the pistol to his head, but his ears twitched as windows, doors, and crates were thrown aside as other soldiers sprung their ambush. Continuing to back up, he was walked backwards towards the gangplank._

_When he took too long stumbling up the step, the wolf reached out with his other paw, seized Nick by the front of his shirt, and hurled him backwards. The fox flailed his limbs as he flew, trying to get his legs underneath him, but failed. His breath was driven out of his body as he landed squarely on his back. Gasping, the fox writhed from the pain radiating from his spine._

Ker-chek!

_The sound of a shotgun cocking froze his blood, and the fox looked up to see another soldier, a kodiak bear wearing black sunglasses, staring down at him. He held the shotgun, and its sights rested squarely on Nick._

" _Up." The tone brooked no argument, and Nick shakily stood to his feet, arms up, trying to look as small and nonthreatening as possible. A glance around showed how screwed he was. Five soldiers armed with deadly weapons was worse than anything Nick had been up against before._

_As Nick watched, the dark furred wolf that threw him stepped forward, glaring at the lioness that had watched the ambush unfurl with clinical detachment._

" _One chance," the wolf began._

* * *

Nick lay awake in the back of Finnick's van, annoyed with himself. He'd never been so tired, and a power nap on the way to Honey's sounded _heavenly._ Yet, sleep refused to come, much to his chagrin. When the drive had started, he had sunk into a somewhat pleasant haze. But it was far from the complete _un_ consciousness he craved. That annoyed him, which in turn roused him slightly from his haze, which annoyed him more, which roused him more, and so on until he was wide awake and close to furious.

Feeling the van begin to slow down as it pulled in, he rolled his eyes as he gave up on the idea of sleep.

_Maybe Honey will have something to knock me out_ , he thought hopefully.

The van lurched as it came to a stop and Nick lurched to his feet with it. The thought of getting sewn up and drugged unconscious (hopefully not in that order) was enough to fill the fox with renewed energy. It was only Finnick's stern 'Don't touch _nothin_ with yo' nasty paws!' that kept him from opening the door himself and escaping.

It only took a few seconds for Finnick to slide open the side door. The sudden breeze across his chest reminded Nick of his condition, and his paw jumped to cover the hole in his chest. Too late.

Finnick froze, then squinted up at Nick. "What was that?"

Nick tried to deflect. " _What was what?_ " Though the car ride had allowed the fox to finally catch his breath, his throat was still dry and raw. He tried to look clueless, which wasn't hard. He had no idea what the hole in his chest looked like, only that the only two mammals to see it _freaked._

"Don't give me that!" Finnick shouted, expression severe. He pointed up at Nick, the height difference between them worsened by the fact that Nick was standing in the van, while the smaller fox was standing on the pavement. "Somethin' in yo chest! What is that!?"

Nick had to suppress a groan. Not _again._ " _Finn, buddy, I swear I don't know. Something bad happened and I woke up like this. You think I want to fish around the hole in my chest?_ " He tried his very best to keep his voice level and conciliatory, but the strain was clear.

Finnick wasn't having it. "You tellin me you don't know that hole is _glowing._ "

" _Glowing?_ " This time, the clueless look wasn't fake at all. "What are you..?" Nick trailed off as he looked down at the paw over his chest. Lifting it from his wound, he was stunned to realize that his paw was bathed in a faint light, visible in the darkness of the van. A thousand questions bloomed in his mind, but Finnick interrupted before he could answer any of them.

"There! I can see it! Like you got a damn light bulb in yo chest!" The fennec stomped a tiny foot, then scrambled into the van. Nick backed away from his irate business partner, hand once again clutched to his chest, blocking out the light. Finnick advanced on him, more furious than Nick had ever seen. "Are you trying to punk me?!"

" _N-no! Finn I-_ " Nick's hasty reply was interrupted by an angry wave of a paw.

"Is this a joke!? Did you wake me up in the middle of the night to _fuck with me!?_ " Nick was pressed up against the rear doors now, the back of his head pressed up against the smooth cool glass. His body was shaking, unable to cope with the sheer threat of violence that exuded from his small friend.

" _Finn, come on,_ " he plead desperately, " _you know I wouldn't joke about this. Wouldn't involve Honey in this if I wasn't hurt._ " Nick flinched when Finnick stepped forward, closing his eyes and throwing up his free arm to shield his face. There was a beat of silence, then…

"Sit down." The gruff command wasn't what Nick was expecting. He lowered his arm so he could look at Finnick, confused. The sandy furred fox had his arms crossed, face scowling, but he no longer looked like he was going to maul him. Then what he said penetrated.

" _What..?_ " Fed up with the delay, Finnick bared his teeth.

" _Sit. Down,_ " he growled. Nick complied, slowly sliding down the doors until he was seated on the floor. Without any hesitation, Finnick stepped forward until he was standing on Nick's lap. Grumbling to himself, he grabbed the other fox's wrist. "I swear, if this is a 'Iron Mammal' toy…" He pulled Nick's paw from his chest and peered into the wound.

Nick watched him fearfully, looking for any sign that he was about to be attacked. He was relieved when the small fox's ire seemed to recede, bared teeth covered once again. Anxiety returned when the fennec pursed his lips together in a grim line, his brow shifting from annoyed to contemplative. After several painfully long seconds, a decision was made. A sinking feeling in his gut told Nick it wasn't good for him. When Finnick looked up into his eyes, it was only confirmed.

"Get out," he said curtly.

Nick could only stare, dumbfounded. " _What?_ "

Finnick hopped to the side, reached over Nick's shoulder, and pulled the latch. The door currently supporting him swung open, dumping Nick into the street. His back landed flat on the wet concrete, stars exploding behind his eyes as his chest burst into an inferno of pain.

Finnick stood in the van, his face a stone mask while he watched Nick wheeze in agony. "That thing in your chest is nuclear, Nick. Radioactive. It's going to burn everything around you. I won't have anything to do with you 'til it's gone." He shut the door with a slam and left, the van fishtailing as it sped away on the wet road.

Nick was left curled up on his side, feeling like he was dying all over again. He wheezed and coughed, darkness dancing on the edge of his vision. He laid there for a long time, though he couldn't be sure exactly how long. Eventually, he got enough breath back to live, and the pain died down to something approaching bearable.

Rolling onto his front, he pushed himself to his feet. That one act was enough to make him dizzy. Closing his eyes, he waited until it passed. Once the nausea finally subsided, he opened his eyes and looked around to get his bearings. He was on a typically moist Rainforest District street, between rain cycles. Small brick shops lined the road, only two stories high and covered in vines. Thankfully, he recognized where he was. Honey's place wasn't far.

With a deep breath, he began to shuffle forward.

* * *

Past the convenience store, between the laundromat and the pawn shop, down three flights of slippery concrete steps surrounded on both sides by cheap apartment housing there stood a lone bungalow. The porch overlooked a concrete canal, the water only a few feet deep.

There were two rickety wooden steps that lead onto the porch, and Nick took them slowly. The three steps to the door were made on shaky legs. Nick pressed his face against the slab of wood, eyes closed and breath ragged.

He stayed there for several long moments, gathering his strength. Rolling his head to one side, he squinted open one eye. Spotting what he was looking for, he reached up with one arm. Ignoring the doorbell, he instead pushed aside the little plaque that said 'The Badgers'. Feeling along the wooden facade, he found something. It was a button, cleverly disguised as a knot in the wood. He pressed and held it.

" _Honey? It's me. Your favorite fox._ " In spite of how awful his voice sounded, he still tried for charming, in a friendly way. Honey always responded well to that.

"What the- Nick?! Where ya been?! It's been three months, boy!" Usually. Honey _usually_ responded well. Nick smiled tiredly, knowing she would react this way.

" _I'm sorry, Honey._ " Anyone who knew him casually would have been surprised by how sincere his voice was. " _Didn't mean to make you worry. But, I really need your help right now._ "

"My help? Ha! You show up after ditching me, asking for favors. Typical." The voice issued from some hidden speaker, but Nick had no trouble imagining her annoyed expression. Nose curled, ears back, brow scrunched. It actually made him smile a little wider.

" _Aw, c'mon, Honey. I didn't ditch you, I just got distracted. I said I was sorry._ "

The disembodied voice snorted. "Humph. I'll bet you are. What's this favor?"

Nick sighed, smiling still. " _I need you to stitch me up._ "

" _What!?"_ The loud response made Nick jump, his ears and tail shooting up in surprise, before once again slumping down. "Aw, baby. Why didn't you say so? Are ya hurt bad?" The pure genuine concern in her voice made Nick feel warm inside.

" _I'll live. I think._ " The lack of sarcasm was actually worrying.

"Can you get downstairs?"

" _I…_ " Nick paused as he assessed himself, then gave the most honest answer he could. " _I don't know._ "

"I'll be right up." It was a promise and an assurance rolled into one, and it made Nick feel better than he had ever since this whole fiasco started.

Less than a minute later, the sound of heavy footfalls made his ears twitch. Shifting his body, he leaned his shoulder against the frame just in time to avoid falling in when the door was yanked open.

"Grimbart's Ghost!" A honey badger stood before him, wearing canvas shorts and camouflage jacket with the sleeves cut off. Though she was a head shorter than Nick, she was much stouter, her stocky frame packed with muscle and a layer of fat. Most of her exposed fur was black, but her face had the two distinctive white stripes most badgers were known for. Though she was still stout and strong, a few grey hairs around her ears and nose gave away her age.

" _Hey, Honey. Sorry about stopping by like this…"_ Nick tried to don his usual cocky smile, but pain and exhaustion made it look a lot more pathetic than he intended.

"Don't give me that foxy nonsense, you know it don't work on me." Pushing up next to him, she grabbed his arm and pulled it around her shoulders. Nick let her, grateful for the support. Wrapping her arm around his waist, the badger practically carried Nick inside. "Where's your clothes? Don't tell me it was…ya know…"

Nick immediately figured what she trying to imply and rushed to reassure her. " _NO! No, nothing like that. My clothes were gross, and Finnick didn't want them in the van."_

They were in the kitchen, now. Honey pulled out a dusty chair from a small table, then eased Nick into it. Straightening up, she turned to peer down the hallway towards the front door, fully expecting to see Finnick standing there in all of his usual tiny angry glory.

"Where is that foolish boy?" When he didn't appear, she looked to Nick for answers. Nick looked down at his wound, still carefully covered with one paw.

" _He had somewhere else to be._ " Nick's downtrodden look wasn't missed by Honey. She huffed, annoyed for his sake.

"I'll bet. Wait here a sec, hon'." She went out of the kitchen, disappearing into another room. Nick's ears twitched as he listened to her dig around. She quickly reappeared, a quilt spread between her paws. She wrapped it around his shoulders, then immediately stepped away to grab a glass from one of the cupboards.

While she filled the cup with water from the sink, Nick pulled the quilt around his shoulders, careful to cover his chest. He didn't know why, the whole reason he came her was so she could take care of his wound. But a voice in the back of his head kept nagging him, telling him this was a bad idea. If _Finnick,_ the closest friend he had(though, that wasn't saying much) abandoned him because of whatever was in his chest, then it must be bad.

He tried to think of alternatives, but what were they? He had no money, no _clothes,_ and no transport. Honey would be willing to lend him money, but if he knew anything about her, she would insist on inspecting the wound herself. And if he insisted on _not_ showing her, she would deny him a loan, even if she knew he was good for it. She was stubborn that way.

"Hey, what's got you so glum?" The question pulled Nick from his thoughts. He found a glass pressed almost to his nose. He took it, giving Honey a grateful look. He took what was supposed to be a sip, but when he pulled the cup away he was surprised to find it empty. Chuckling, Honey took the glass from his grip. While she filled the glass with water from the tap, she looked back at Nick expectantly. "Well?"

Nick tried for a reassuring smile, but it came out as nervous. "Not glum." That water had done wonders for his throat. Still scratchy, but he no longer sounded like he was dying. "Just been a weird night. Not sure how to process it, ya know?"

"Mhmm." Honey made an agreeable noise, then turned and offered the glass again. Nick took it, then downed half of it. Pulling it away, he placed it on the table with a relieved sigh.

"Thank you, Honey. You're the best." He smiled at her, but Honey just waved it off.

"Yeah, save yer flattery for the floozies. You wanted me to stitch you up, right? Let's have a look atcha." She knelt down in front of him and reached out for the blanket, but Nick leaned back. Seeing how tense he was, she raised a brow at him. "I can't fix ya up if you don't let me look, sweetie." She said it with a motherly frankness, and Nick felt himself flush from embarrassment. He never did like to be talked to like a child.

"I know that, Honey." He tried not to snap at her, but some irritation bled through anyway. "I told you, it's been a weird night. Everyone that's seen this has _freaked._ "

The badger leveled a flat look at him, reproaching him for assuming she would do anything of the sort. Nick stared back, saying with his eyes that _yes, she might._ After a few tense seconds, Nick lost the silent battle of wills. With a quiet sigh, he relaxed his shoulders and his grip on the blanket.

Honey didn't waste time, immediately grabbing the loose cloth and pulling it away. The wound that was revealed froze her in place, brown eyes growing wide as she saw what was embedded in the deeply cratered flesh. Entranced, a single paw began to reach out, only to be intercepted by one of Nick's. The spell broken, she looked up into the face of an anxious fox.

"Honey?" Nick watched, deeply concerned as something flashed over her face. It was gone so fast, hidden by a friendly smile. Some of it remained in her eyes, though. They revealed an inner turmoil.

"Uh, Nick, sugar? This is going to need some...tools from downstairs." Her voice trembled ever so slightly, raising red flags in Nick's mind. She smiled again, and Nick couldn't help but notice how forced it was. "Would you mind getting cleaned up while I get my kit? You could use the bathroom up here."

Nick watched her carefully, trying to discern what she was thinking. Thinly veiled fear was all he found. Hating himself for scaring her, he nodded slowly, a reassuring smile on his muzzle. "Of course, Honey."

Nodding once, Honey turned away. Every movement touched by urgency, she hastened across the kitchen, pulled back the little curtain under the sink, and dove head first into the opened hatch secreted away there.

Nick watched her go, completely familiar with Honey's 'Security Bunker'. He stared at where she disappeared for a long moment, wondering melancholically if she was about to dump him like Finnick did.

Well, wondering about it wasn't going to get anything done. He stood with a sigh, making his way way toward the only bathroom on the ground floor. Halfway there, the thought occurred to him that this was an excellent chance to take a hot shower. The thought perked him up, his hind paws no longer dragging, his tail wagging slowly.

A few seconds later, he walked into the bathroom. He looked around, quirking an eyebrow at the severely out of date avocado green tile and fixtures, toilet included. He smiled to himself derisively.

_How did anyone_ ever _think this was a good color?_

Ignoring the poor interior decorating choices of a bygone era, he made his way to the shower. Turning the tap on, he turned away, knowing it would take a minute to get warm.

He spotted the vanity mirror hanging over the sink, and nearly turned away. The opportunity to finally see the true extent of his injury was before him, but the thought made him anxious, like if he saw it, it would become real. With a sigh, he made his way to the sink. He leaned against it, muzzle down, trying to convince himself to look up.

"What's that stupid saying? Can't solve a problem until you acknowledge it." Having said his little pep talk, meager though it was, he finally looked into the mirror.

Nothing could have prepared him.

His rib cage was _blown open_ , the fist sized hole ringed by the jagged edges of shattered bone. The hole went all the way through, heart missing, vertebra visible, and lungs exposed.

It was horrifying, but it wasn't the worst of it. Sitting in his chest, exactly where his _heart used to be,_ was something _else._

"No. No. No no no no-no-nonono _nonoNONO_ _ **NO!**_ " Nick shook his head, unable to cope with what he was seeing. It felt as though his entire world was tilting, everything slipping away from under his paws.

About the size of his absent heart, it was suspended in his chest by three main branches, with dozens of thinner tendrils sticking out in all directions. It was transparent, the inner structures clearly visible. Even as he watched, his blood was being pumped down through one of the branches, then out through another. The skin was moist, and shone with a layer of clear ichor.

The whole thing was glowing from within. The blue-white light dimmed and brightened noticeably with his breathing. Just then, the light was flickering sporadically.

Nick was hyperventilating, panicked thoughts swirling in his head.

_Is it alive!? Am_ I _alive!? What is it!? Is that my heart!? Why can I see it!? Did it always look like that!? What am I!?_

These thoughts and more came to a screeching halt as something crashed into the back of his skull, smashing his face into the mirror. Nick collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, sliding down the sink to slump to the floor.

"Oh, Nicky," Honey spoke softly as she knelt next to the unconscious fox, dropping her aluminum baseball bat on the floor. She reached forward to pet him between the ears, ignoring the fresh blood staining his fur. "They got you, too…"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to [DrummerMax64](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrummerMax64/pseuds/DrummerMax64) for an excellent review and making sure the technical details of my writing were all up to snuff.
> 
> A shout out to [Chesterization](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4630560/) for useful advice on how to keep my story on track.
> 
> [Gamer4COD](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8036169/) and [Hebbocake](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8028304/), thank you as well.
> 
> To idontknowwhattoput124 and DragoLord19D, I hope you're doing well. I know you're busy, but I miss you and your thoughtful input.


	5. Finnick Found

_July 8th 5:23 am_

_The rising sun lay just below the horizon, bathing Savannah Central City Park and its many trees and paths in dim blue twilight._

_A well-dressed lioness leaned against a tree in the gloom, grimacing as she clutched her right shoulder with her left paw. She glanced down at where her right arm used to be. It was taken off clean at the shoulder, not even a stump remaining. Grimacing in disgust, she forced herself to look away. Dwelling over the lost limb wasn't going to make it better._

_Replacing it was._

_Her ears twitched as she perked up, eyes scanning for her target._

There.

_Another lioness was jogging along one of the paths. Her gym shorts and tank top didn't hide much, revealing the body of an athletic feline in her early twenties. Young and strong._

_Ms. Hertz smiled._

* * *

July 9th, 3:45pm

Judy was used to warm summer days, but Sahara Square took it too far. Even as she rode the train (It had been _three months_ and the motor pool _still_ didn't have a patrol car that she could drive. The Meter Mobile _doesn't count_ ) she could feel the floor getting warmer under her paws. Even the sunlight streaming in through the windows seemed brighter and harsher than in the other districts. The rabbit grumbled to herself, preparing for an uncomfortable trip across hot sidewalks and even hotter streets.

After a few stops, the train pulled into the aptly named Dead End Station. Thing was, the station itself looked like any other. Zootopia's aggressive anti-urban decay policies shone through, ensuring that the station was as clean and graffiti-free as any other. No, the station was fine.

It was the mammals.

As Judy stepped off the train, she was surprised by how… _dismal_ everyone seemed. In spite of the heat, most wore dark colors, with more ragged, tatty clothes than not.

While less densely packed than just about any other station Judy had seen, there were still dozens of mammals sitting on benches or standing around, all waiting for the next train.

Judy couldn't spot a smile anywhere. As she glanced around, she was surprised how many scowls were directed her way. When two particularly gruff looking camels shot her matching obscene hoof gestures, the rabbit realized that _maybe_ she wasn't welcome there.

Ducking her head, she turned and made for the exit at a light jog. When she made it outside, she had to raise a paw to cover her eyes from the harsh, unfiltered sunlight. She used her other paw to check the map on her phone. Confirming her location, she took off, the negative feelings invoked by her unpleasant arrival already forgotten in her eagerness to chase down her first real lead.

* * *

Four blocks down and two over, Judy found the Dead End Bar. It was… uninspiring. It looked just like the other dive bars common to the area.

If the train station had been unwelcoming, the area the diminutive officer found herself in was downright frigid. No one would look at her, and if they even _thought_ she was heading in their direction, they would disappear into the nearest bar or alley.

After months of being a meter maid, she was fairly used to mammals being cross with her. That included everything from quiet mutterings all the way up to screaming tirades. Yet, that all still meant them _acknowledging her existence._ It was an entirely new sensation to be treated as though _any_ _interaction with her at all_ would bring misfortune.

Shivering despite the afternoon heat, she increased her pace until it was just under a run. She hurried past the entrance to the bar, then turned the corner. Just ahead was the opening to the alley the Traffic Cam Network had revealed was the last known location of Finnick.

She ran the last few yards, only slowing down when she was standing at the alley's mouth.

There it was, the brown van. Her eyes automatically scanned the license plate for verification. _HB05-1986._ No need to check her notes, she knew it by heart. She felt a jittery joy rise up in her, the feeling of her first real success nearly driving her to jump in joy.

Thankfully, she stopped herself from binkying in uniform while in full view of the public. She scolded herself internally while she resumed her trek towards the van.

_No, bad bunny. You're a cop, act like it._

Mastering herself, she forced down her smile, replacing it with her best stern look. Having reached the van, she reached up a fist to knock on the back door…

" _Mmmm…_ " and froze solid as a decidedly _feminine_ moan issued from inside.

_That's not Finnick._

" _Oohhh,_ Hershey Bar, you're so good with your paws."

"It's a good thing you're my special lady, or we'd have a problem. You know I hate that name."

"Hush, you know you love it. Now, where were we…? Oh, yeah..."

"Mmm, my _sweet_ lady…"

As the sounds of… _something_ began to pick up, Judy felt a prickly heat rise up across the back of her neck. Her eyes were impossibly wide, her face frozen in horrified dismay.

_Are they…?_

Her sensitive ears twitched, involuntarily tuning themselves to pick up the sounds coming from the van. Judy wished they hadn't, assaulted by the sounds of panting and grunting.

_They are!_

Turning away, she covered her mouth while she ran back to the street, hiding around the corner with her back to the wall. She sank her face into her paws, utterly humiliated.

_I can't believe this! They're…!_

Her ears automatically pricked towards the sound of a particularly pleased gasp. Reaching up, Judy gripped a long ear in each paw and yanked them down to her mouth.

" _Will you stop it!?_ " she whispered harshly into the velvety lengths, not caring how ridiculous she must look scolding her own ears. Shifting them so that they covered her eyes, Judy hid behind the familiar shields while she frantically thought on what to do.

_Do I just interrupt?_

_Ah, gross, no!_

_We could wait till their done?_

_You remember school! Canids can take hours with that- that knot thing!_

Without meaning to, the images from her anatomy class came rushing back. The burning on her neck spread up, her ears ears growing warm in her paws and across her face.

_If you don't want to wait, then do it now!_

_Fine!_

Blowing out a harsh breath, Judy stood from where she leaned against the brick facade. Releasing her ears, she forced them to stand up as she marched towards the van.

"Ohh, yeah! Hnn!" The sound of Finnick's gravely voice whining in pleasure nearly made Judy gag. Eager to just get this over with, she raised a paw and banged on the back door.

"ZPD! Open up!" she shouted. Her sensitive ears picked up two matching gasps, followed by silence. Not even remotely willing to let this to drag out, she banged on the door again, several times. "ZPD! Mr. Bernardi, open up or face charges!"

"Shit-!"

"What did you _do?"_

"Me? I ain't done _nothin'!_ " Hearing the occupants scrabble, Judy stepped back with her arms crossed. Foot tapping, she impatiently waited for a response. After a few seconds, the back door swung open, revealing a familiar fennec fox, clothes rumpled and askew. Glaring ferociously, his eyes locked onto her. She glared back, not remotely intimidated by the pint sized predator.

" _Can I help you?_ " he growled. Judy's eyes flicked past him into the van to check on the other occupant. She was surprised to spot, not a fox, but a miffed looking cat. Standing in jean shorts and a plain white tank top, she resembled a tabby, with striped, beige fur on her back and face with cream coloring on her chest and stomach. Two dark stripes on each arm identified her as a sand cat. When the feline crossed her arms and looked away with her ears pinned back, obviously uncomfortable, Judy realized she'd been staring. She quickly looked back to Finnick.

"Mr. Bernardi, I have a few questions for you," Judy used her best 'no-nonsense' tone, perfected from scolding hundreds of irresponsible siblings, cousins and other relatives. Finnick didn't look impressed.

"That so?" he said, voice tight. Judy could see him physically restraining himself, his little body almost spasming from the effort.

"That's right. Let's make this quick." Judy's nose wasn't nearly as powerful as most of her colleagues, but the thick smell wafting from inside the van was almost enough to make her sick.

"Fine. Let's do that." Finnick picked up on her discomfort. He would have smiled if he wasn't so annoyed about being interrupted. Instead, he settled somewhere close to neutral. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the door frame.

"Where were you yesterday between the hours of 1 and 3 a.m?" Judy's notebook appeared in one paw, the carrot pen in the other.

"Rainforest District." Judy was a little surprised he admitted to it so easily. But, then again, they had that much on camera. There wasn't any denying that.

"What were you doing?"

"Business."

"What kind of business?"

"Personal business."

Judy lifted her head from her notes to give the little fox a flat look. He stared back, unrepentant.

"Are you going to give me anything _useful_?" Her ears fell back, a sign of her irritation.

"Not if I can help it," he said, completely serious. They stared at each other, stuck in a battle of wills. While this was going on, something clicked in Judy's head. Flipping her notebook shut, she put it away, though she held onto the carrot pen.

"Let's try something else. I know it was Nick Wilde at that crime scene. I know you gave him a ride. Why don't you just tell me where he is?" She cocked a hip, and flipped out a paw towards Finnick, as though it was his turn to share.

"You _know_ I gave him a ride, huh? Prove it," he challenged. Judy's paw dropped to her cocked hip.

"If he was here, his scent will be, too. All it would take is a phone call and I can have a sniffer unit here in ten minutes," she threatened. She was a little taken aback when Finnick _smiled._

"They gonna' sniff him out, huh? You _sure?_ " His decidedly smug response confused Judy. Her nose twitched, picking up another whiff of the potent odor wafting from the van. Her eyes widened in shocked realization.

_He used_ sex _to mask the other scents!_

Seeing the knowledge pass over her face, Finnick smiled a little wider, showing off some teeth. Comfortable in his assured victory, he tried to dismiss the troublesome cop. "Hop along now, Officer. You ain't got nothin on me."

"Do you have any idea what kind of trouble your friend is in?" Judy asked, more than a little fed up with the fox's attitude.

"Does it matter? I'm not involved." Finnick blew her off, looking away nonchalantly as though what she were saying didn't matter. Judy was determined to prove him wrong.

" _Triple homicide_ ," she said, loudly. Finnick tensed up, but it was his companion that really reacted.

"What?!" shouted the feline. Finnick's expression darkened as he felt her glare on the back of his head. "Herschel! You never said _anything_ about a _murder._ What did Nick _do?_ "

"Nick didn't hurt nobody!" Since his eyes didn't leave Judy, she wasn't sure if he was talking to her or to his companion.

"I didn't say he did," Judy interjected as the sand cat came up to stand beside Finnick. Now that they were side by side, it was obvious that the feline was a couple inches taller than Finnick, if you didn't count their ears. "But he's hurt and in a lot of trouble. The kind of trouble that doesn't go away. The best thing for everyone is for Nick to turn himself in. The longer he waits, the worse things are going to get."

"Mm." The sand cat made an agreeing sound. Finnick turned his head enough to look at her, his eyes squinted suspiciously. "You said they were in the Rainforest District?"

"Teri, stop-" Finnick tried to stop her, reaching out a paw to grab her wrist. The feline jerked her arm away, turning to give him stormy glare.

"Herschel, I'm not going to lose you because you got in the way of _the goddamn murder police!_ " She shouted in his face. Before he could object, Teri turned to Judy and snapped off a name. "Honey Badger."

Finnick grimaced like he'd been kicked in the gut. He turned away and stomped towards the driver seat, clearly done with the conversation. Judy watched as he disappeared from view. The fact that she couldn't see him made her uneasy. After a long moment of nothing happening, she turned back to Teri, trusting that the fox wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Honey Badger?" She prompted, once again pulling out her notebook. Teri nodded.

"That's right. I don't know her address, but she lives somewhere around Cloud Alley. She's a tax lawyer, or a CPA or something. Never leaves the house," the sand cat explained. Looking at her notes while she scribbled everything down, Judy nodded her understanding. Then she looked up at the feline, her eyes wide and eager.

"Why would Nick go there?" She asked rapidly.

"She used to be a nurse. She stitches them up for free, so that's where 'Finnick'," Teri rolled her eyes, clearly put out by her beau's choice in name for himself, "and Nick go when they're hurt."

Even while she was putting down the new information, Judy couldn't help but ask about something that struck her as odd. "Why does she do it for free?"

"The boys are the only ones that visit her. I've never met her, but Herschel says she treats them like her kids. Says Nick likes it, too." The answer actually gave Judy pause. Nick's file said he didn't have any living relatives. She had thought he was alone in the world, except for his business associate. Apparently not.

_I guess lying, barely-not-a-criminal foxes need family, too._

"Thank you for your time," she said aloud. Thankful for the help, she beamed at Teri. Teri smiled back, but it was strained. Obviously, she wasn't entirely comfortable being friendly with a cop. An angry snort issued from the driver seat, catching the females' attention and drawing their eyes. Only the tips of his ears were visible over the head rest, but that didn't stop Finnick's voice from being heard, loud and clear.

"Now that you've heard everything you need to hear, why don't ya get lost?!" Finnick's demand was a cross between a snarl and shout. Judy tensed up at the hostile tone, while Teri winced and ducked her head. Grimacing, she turned back to Judy.

"I'm sorry, better go..," she apologized. Judy nodded her agreement, taking a step back so the sand cat could pull the van door shut.

Judy stood there for a moment, staring at the door with concern.

_Finnick seemed so mad. I hope I didn't break them up…_

But troubled relationships would have to wait. She had a fox to find and a lead to follow. Turning away, she trotted off to find a quiet, private spot. She had a call to make.

* * *

Clawhauser answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Judy! Why are you using the private line?" He sounded genuinely curious.

"Don't want anyone else listening. If Grizzoli hears I made progress, he'll probably take me off the case. God forbid the bunny does something right." Judy sounded bitter even to her own ears. Usually, she was adamant about not carrying negativity around with her, but after three months of jerks like Bogo and Grizzoli doing whatever they can to keep her down, she was more than a little fed up.

"OH! You got a lead!?" Clawhauser's loud response made Judy instinctively pull the phone from her ear, before she put it back to frantically shush the overenthusiastic feline.

"Ben! I don't want anyone overhearing, remember?!" she scolded.

" _Right! Right, sorry!_ " he lowered his voice to what most would call a stage whisper, where anyone in ten feet could still clearly him, but Judy knew that was about as quiet as the chubby cheetah got.

"It's alright, I already know how you can make it up to me," she said, much more happily.

"Alright! What do you need?" Clawhauser went right back his usual boisterous self, too.

"I need you to look up an address for me. Name is Honey Badger, female. Lives in Rainforest District, near Cloud Alley," she recited from memory, rather than reading her notes.

"Okay, give me sec…" The sound of rapidly typing keys came over the phone, making Judy smile. Clawhauser had a lot weaknesses as a cop, his overweight nature being the worst, but he was one of the best when it came to information gathering. Whether it was computers or gossip, you could always rely on him when you needed to know something.

"There it is! 813 Tangle Vine Terrace. You got that, Bunny?" Somehow, when the friendly cheetah called her bunny, it was a term of endearment rather than an insult. It was the only reason she let him get away with it.

"Got it! Thanks, Ben. You're the best!" Judy complemented.

"You know it!" was the sassy response. Just before she could hang up, Clawhauser continued, "Oh wait! I almost forgot to tell you! They think they found the missing lioness from the dock."

"Really? Is she okay?" Judy winced, realizing what a stupid question that was. No one who just lost a limb was okay! "I mean, is she alive?"

"No," was the morose response. "Poor thing, they found her in a dumpster. She was younger than you, Judy." The rabbit winced, feeling bad that someone so young died. She felt doubly bad because she knew that would make Clawhauser feel bad, too.

"I'm sorry, Ben. That's terrible," she soothed.

"Yeah…" There was a moment of silence as both of the sensitive mammals gathered themselves. "You be careful out there, sweetie. These guys are dangerous."

"I'll try, Ben." There was another moment of silence, then the phone beeped, signaling the call was ended. She took a moment to write the address down in her notebook, then entered it onto her phone's GPS. She took off, more determined than ever to find Nick Wilde and get to the bottom of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's all give a hand to my previewers: [DrummerMax64](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrummerMax64/pseuds/DrummerMax64); [Gamer4COD](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8036169/); [RandomNobody37](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7948839/); and [Hebbocake](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/8028304/).
> 
> Another round of applause to my advisers: [DragoLord19D](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/3741763/) and [Chesterization](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4630560/)


	6. Mother, Betray!

_The pier was dripping_ _with carnage, the rickety wood covered in blood. The headless corpse of a gray wolf laid on its side, still clutching his assault rifle. A boar lay nearby, cut in half at the waist. Chunks of a pronghorn lay scattered, his mostly intact head still wearing a shocked expression._

_And finally, the body of a red fox lay in the middle of it all, the tattered remains of his brightly colored tropical print shirt stained crimson by its owner's lifeblood, a hole in his chest where his heart used to be. His eyes were still half open, staring, sightless, up at the polluted night sky._

_A briefcase, one side blown open, lay nearby, a detached arm still clutching the handle. A blue-white light flashed from within, then dimmed. A tendril, like smoky glass and faintly luminous, reached out through the hole. It felt around, seeming without purpose, then withdrew. Then, two tendrils reached out, gripped the sides of the case and heaved. A glowing, gelatinous, tentacled bulb slithered out, like some as-of-yet-undiscovered jellyfish._

_The thing was injured, one of its tentacles missing, along with a considerable chunk of it's mass. As it pulled itself along the damp wood, ichor dribbled out of its wound, leaving a trail of faintly glowing slime._

_At first, it seemed to head towards the water, dragging itself towards the edge of the dock. However, as it passed by the fox's corpse one tendril happened to land on an outstretched paw. The creature paused, seeming frozen._

_At that moment, the glow that had illuminated it from within failed, and the little blob collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. After a moment, the light returned, dimmer than it had been. It raised up, more sluggish than before, and began dragging itself up the furry arm. Eventually, it reached the unmoving chest, dropped into the hole it found there._

_Tendrils pushed their way into the surrounding flesh, performing work unseen. The corpse began to writhe and jerk, limbs flailing as dead tissue was revived. The body arched, spine rising off the ground as every muscle tensed, muzzle twisted in a silent scream, sharp canine teeth on display. After a few seconds the body collapsed, still once again. For a long moment, the pier was still and quiet._

_With a gasp, Nick Wilde's eyes flew open, his verdant orbs glowing from within._

* * *

Nick groaned as he awoke, his consciousness immediately assaulted by a sharp, throbbing pain from his skull.

Instinctively, he cracked his eyes open, only to immediately regret it. A bright light blinded him, ratcheting up the stabbing pain in his head. It was so bad he gagged, just barely holding back from puking. Closing his eyes, he waited for the nausea to pass. It took a long time, but the pain in his head did eventually die down a bit, just enough for other sensations to filter through. Like the awful aching in his shoulders, for instance.

He tugged at his wrists, trying to move his arms from their current position. They didn't move, and pulling at them hurt, so he stopped trying.

He bowed his head and rested for awhile, too tired and hurt to really think. Yet, something began to nag him, a thought growing in the back of his mind. It took a few moments, but the haze eventually cleared.

_I can't move my arms._

The thought was absurd, so he tugged at his wrists again. Again, they remained stuck. He tugged harder. Pain flared up in his shoulders, but his wrists still didn't budge.

_I can't move my arms!_

As panic began to set in, he strained against his bonds. It didn't do anything but hurt. His wrists, his shoulders, his head.

_Oh sweet foxy CHRIST, my head hurts._

His struggle temporarily elevated the pain in his head from agonizing to debilitating, and he slumped in his bonds while he waited for it to pass.

Before he could truly gather himself, he noticed something else. Though his breathing had grown heavy, he could only pass air out through his nose. He flexed his jaw, but his mouth couldn't open. It was almost like-

His eyes snapped open. Bloodshot and manic, they completely ignored the stabbing pain brought on by the too-bright light to look down at his snout. It was wrapped in vinyl and steel.

He'd been _muzzled_.

Fear warred with confusion, his mind cast into utter turmoil as he was subjected to his greatest fear. Adrenaline dumped itself into his veins, burning its way through his body and casting any notion of pain to the side.

Thrashing and jerking, Nick's panic only increased when he found his ankles were also bound. Above him, the light bulb began to brighten and dim in perfect sync with the glowing sphere in his chest. Of course, he was far too distracted to notice.

After only a few seconds of this, a metal door was thrown open, slamming into the wall with a _crash!_

Alarmed by the noise, Nick froze. Ears shot up and eyes widened when he saw who it was.

It was Honey. She stood in the doorway, flustered after her rush to the room. "Uh, Nicky, you're awake!" She looked surprised while she said it, like she hadn't expected his awakening at all.

While she spoke, Nick began looking around. He was tied to a chair in a simple storeroom. Grey concrete walls lined with cheap plastic shelves filled with boxes of food, toiletries and other basic necessities. The only disturbing thing about it was how familiar it all was.

_I'm in Honey's bunker._

…

_I'm in Honey's bunker._

_That means she…_

The realization that followed was cold, freezing his blood in his veins. He turned back to her, betrayal and fear and pain in his eyes. He looked at her silently, not judging, but pleading _why?_

Honey stepped into the room, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Ears pinned back, she approached Nick slowly. She knelt before him, her face apologetic.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I know how much you hate this…" Reaching out a paw, she traced one of the straps wrapped tight around his jaw, "...but I have to make sure you don't hurt yourself. The ones controlling you will do anything to keep their secrets."

Nick stared at her, stunned by her words. For a long moment, he couldn't understand what she was saying. Then all at once, understanding rushed to him.

_She thinks I'm one of_ _them_ _._

" _Mm!"_ He shook his head frantically, then stared her in the eye, pleading without words that she was wrong.

Honey watched him struggle with pain in her eyes. They stared at each other for a while. Finally, Honey's resolve cracked. She reached up with both paws, one cupping his face, the other reaching behind his head to twist the ratcheting clasp loose.

As she slid the awful thing off his face, Nick felt some of his anxiety disappear, but not all. Not even close. As soon as he could open his mouth, he began to plead his case.

" _Honey,_ please listen to me. I know you're scared but I'm not- I'm not one of _them-_ I'm _not_ one of the people that killed your husband! I-"

Honey quieted him with a finger to his lips, then gently brushed his cheek with the back of her paw. The motherly gesture was so soothing that Nick found himself calming down almost against his will. Even the throbbing pain behind his eyes abated somewhat.

"Oh, Nicky. I know you're not one of them. But they've been after me so long. Now they've taken you to get to me." The certainty in her voice was chilling.

Nick shook his head again, denying her with everything he had. "They didn't _take me!_ I'm still _ME!_ Look at me! It's me! It's _Nick!"_ He leaned towards her, his green eyes locked onto her dark ones, pleading with her to believe.

He knew immediately it didn't work. There was denial in her eyes, and she slowly shook her head. "You can't fool me, Nick. I can see it, plain as day. It's right there in your chest…" Her eyes lowered to the glowing, pulsing _thing_ where his heart used to be.

He was losing the battle, and he knew it. Somehow, he had to prove to her he was himself. "Honey, I know this looks bad, but it's _not_ controlling me. I don't know what it is and I'm just as scared as you are. But I'm still _your friend._ You've known me my whole life! You used to babysit me. We watched trash t.v. together. You gave me my first beer!"

Honey shook her head and sighed. She looked into his face again, her dark eyes full of pain, but also resolution. "You're just saying those things. You remember them, but they're controlling you."

Nick could feel the walls closing in. Honey wouldn't believe him, and it was getting harder to deny. She wasn't going to let him go. "You're daughter's name was Dorothy."

Honey recoiled like she'd been struck. If he had slapped her, the look of hurt and betrayal she shot him wouldn't have been nearly so heartbreaking. But desperation drove him, and he grabbed on to the only weapon he could find. Painful memories.

"I remember. I was fifteen years old when you told Ma and me. You were supposed to be barren, but you had a miracle!" He was almost shouting now, and Honey backed away, her eyes wide. "You named her Dorothy because it meant 'A Gift from God'. She died three days after she was born." The words were knives, and they left Honey stricken. "You found Richard hanging in the closet three weeks later."

That was it. The switch flipped, and pain became anger. Brow scrunched, ears pinned back and teeth bared, Honey growled as she raised her paw high, "SHUT YOUR _DAMN MOUTH!"_ She slapped Nick with everything she had, raking him with her claws.

Nick screamed as four molten trails blazed across his face, a searing agony that blocked everything else out. Seconds passed as he thrashed in his bonds, completely lost to the pain. The lone bulb began to flicker again, spooking Honey. She ducked down, ears low as she watched the bulb fearfully. As Nick's fit passed, the light returned to its usual brightness.

" _Goddammit Honey, NO ONE KILLED RICHARD!_ " Nick screamed, totally lost to his own pain. Honey's gaze snapped back to him, and what she saw nearly broke her. Four bloody, jagged furrows stretched across his face, fat drops of blood falling from fur that was soaked in it. His eyes were wide and manic. Driven by fear and pain and confusion, he teetered on the edge of madness.

Nick, like any cornered animal, lashed out. "Richard was sick in the head! He was supposed to be on medication _and you know it!_ The pregnancy made you both so happy that he thought he didn't need it! When Dorothy died, he just couldn't take it. _He. Killed. Himself._ And no one made him do it!"

Driven by his furious words, blood sprayed from his lips. It spattered across Honey's face. She flinched back, horrified by the sensation. Still, it wasn't enough to distract her from Nick's words. She stepped forwards again, a rebuttal on her lips.

"No! _They_ killed him because he knew too much!"

"NO! _You killed him!_ You were his _wife. You should have checked his meds!_ " The words hung heavy in the air, like the smoke after an explosion.

Tears began to well up in Honey's eyes, but twenty years of pain, denial, and obsession wouldn't be wiped away by a few words, no matter how close to the truth they lay. "Richard was always digging up the truth. He just got too _close-_ "

Nick interrupted, no longer willing to allow the charade to go on, "Richard had _anxiety._ Reading crackpot conspiracy journals just so he had _something_ to worry about, instead of feeling like a freak for worrying about nothing at all!"

Nick huffed and leaned back in his chair. He realized all at once how tired he was, and how empty. He felt hollow inside, in a way that had nothing to do with the literal hole in his chest.

"And you…" Nick closed his eyes, feeling the pain. Physical. Emotional. "You shut everything away."

The silence that followed lingered, interrupted only by their ragged breathing. Eventually, Honey pulled herself, somewhat, together.

"I didn't shut anything away. Richard's death opened my eyes to the _truth-"_

Nick interrupted again, fed up with Honey's excuses, and bold in only the way those condemned could be, "You couldn't face what happened, couldn't accept that Richard chose to leave you!" He leaned forward in his chair, coming almost nose to nose with his captor. "You threw everything away so you could be a crazy person hiding in a _basement!_ "

" _I didn't have anything to lose!_ " She spouted back.

" _YOU HAD ME!_ " Nick's response rocked Honey back on her heels, but the fox wasn't done, "I was _there! I_ held your paw at Dorothy's funeral, and Richard's! _I_ fed you when you wouldn't eat! _I_ paid your rent when you couldn't work! _No one else! ME!_ " Like a dam bursting, twenty years of emotional pain came spewing out.

"But none of it mattered, OOOH NO!" Nick's voice turned mocking. "Not when _The Great Sheep Conspiracy_ threatened to _enslave us all!_ " A grin spread across his muzzle, blood staining his teeth and contempt in his eyes. " _No_ , all you needed me for was my _money._ I gave up years out of my savings so _you_ could go back to school, so _you_ could buy this house, so _you_ could have this bunker built. You didn't care about me. You just pretended so I would be your own personal, _walking, talking bank._ " He spat the last few words, making Honey blink rapidly as her face was coated in a fine spray of blood and spit.

The sheer _fury_ directed at her left Honey temporarily at a loss for words. Not for long. "I didn't _pretend._ I love you, Nicho-"

" _ **What!?**_ " Nick exploded. "You love-! _Look at me!_ I came to you for _help._ Now I'm tied up, beaten, bloody- YOU CLAWED MY _FACE! If you love me, WHY AM I HERE, HONEY!?"_ He hollered at her, voice cracking.

The question was apparently too much. Honey whirled around and left without another word, slamming the stout metal door. The sound was so loud in the enclosed space it made Nick's ears ring. He stared at the door with wide eyes, almost unable to cope with having such a charged exchange cut off so abruptly.

After several seconds, Nick wilted in his seat, head on his chest and ears drooping over his eyes, resigned to his fate.

Then the door flew open again.

Nick jumped to attention, startled. Honey stormed in, her face carefully blank. She marched right up to his chair, then raised her arms. Bloodshot eyes widened when he saw what she held.

The muzzle.

"NO!" Nick jerked away, leaning his head as far back as he could. A powerful paw reached out and grasped him by the throat.

"I'm sorry. I know this hurts-" Nick struggled against her hold, but with his arms and legs bound, there just wasn't anywhere for him to go.

" _Honey, stop!"_ he choked, barely getting the words past the grip on his throat. " _You're hurting me! Stop! Please stop!"_

But she didn't stop. She pushed the hateful contraption over his jaws, forcing them painfully closed. It pressed down on the fresh claw marks stretching across his cheek and jaw, bringing a fresh wave of agony, one that doubled when she reached behind his head and ratcheted it tight, sealing his mouth shut and painfully squeezing his already abused skull.

He watched her turn away and leave, her form blurred by tears and pain. The door slammed shut again. Nick slumped in his seat, tears streaming down his face. They mixed with the blood in his wounds, Honey's marks of betrayal burning anew.

* * *

Nick hurt for a long time. Physically, his head was the worst. It felt like his skull was splitting open and the four claw marks across his face burned. Emotionally? He was glad his head hurt so bad, because it distracted him from the pain in his, now entirely figurative, heart.

But, he had hurt before. He had _lost_ before. He knew this darkness, was familiar with it. Knew that the only way out was up. So, pull on your big boy britches and start climbing, _chump,_ because no one's going to do it for you!

He sniffled and huffed. Gathered all of the emotions that pained him and locked them away. Maybe he would reexamine them later. Probably not, but that didn't matter. It was time to escape and he couldn't do that if he was sniveling like a pathetic child.

He began by checking his bonds. Honey had never kept a prisoner before (to his knowledge) so _maybe_ she screwed something up. Starting with his arms, he felt around his wrists. He felt cool metal, even heard faint clinking. Handcuffs, with, if he was feeling this right, the chain looped through the bars that made up the chair's back. A few painful, fur ripping tugs was all it took to realize his bare legs had been duct taped to the chair's legs.

The obvious solution was to slip the handcuffs. After some groping and uncomfortable finger twisting, he figured out that his claws were too short and too blunt to pick the lock.

_Well, so much for that…_

He slumped in his seat again, trying to think of a plan.

_Maybe I could...break the chair?_

He twisted around in his seat, trying his best to get a look at it. It wasn't good news. Metal. Four legs, a seat and a back. Simple and sturdy.

He sat back with a huff, frustrated with his lack of progress. He tugged at his wrists a few times. He was surprised to realize he could slide the cuffs up and down the back of the chair.

_I can move some. This is good. Maybe I can use this…_

Raising them up didn't do much but make his shoulders ache. He dropped them down again, brow scrunched as he tried to think.

_Let's try something else…_

He gingerly leaned forward and raised the cuffs again, wincing as his shoulders protested. Grabbing the top of the chair, he used his shoulders and knees to force himself into a standing position. After a little struggle, he succeeded. He glanced around, eyes wide and ears perked.

_Okay! This is good! Maybe I can move!_

It took a little doing, but Nick did eventually figure out how to walk. The trick was first to stand, then squat down (which _sucked_ because the tape pulled at the fur on his legs and _damn_ that hurt!), grab the base of the chair, then _carefully_ lean forward until all of his weight was on his hind paws. The chair would come a few inches off the smooth concrete floor, and then he could shuffle forward. It was slow going, but it was progress.

Careful not to pinch his tail, Nick sat the chair back down as quietly as he could, then slumped back into it.

_I can move. Great. Now what?_

Nick didn't know. He looked at the door. The first thought, to go through it as he was, was immediately discarded. Not only would it be difficult to open, it would be nigh impossible to do so quietly. The racket as he tried would alert Honey, and she would take steps to further restrain him. He had to escape the chair _before_ he left the room.

The question then became _how?_

Nick glanced around at the familiar storeroom, an idea already forming in his mind. He knew these shelves, and the boxes lining them. Had carried most of them in himself, since Honey never left the house.

The fox stared at each box in turn, racking his brain for their contents and trying to figure out if they could be useful.

 _Let's see. Toilet paper. No use. Next. Oh, uh, lighter fluid. Maybe the nozzle could slip the cuffs...Probably not. Next. Canned fruit. The tabs on the cans_ might _do the trick. Let's call that Plan B. Next box. Ooh, that's the pie filling. She got mad when I ate all the blueberry…_

Nick shook his head before memories could overwhelm him. Now wasn't the time for that. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand.

_Focus! Alright, next box. That would be freeze dried… something. Bugs. Crickets, maybe? They come in a plastic pouch, so no use to me. Next. Freeze dried...fish? Whatever, it was gross and useless and NEXT…_

This went on for a while, with only a few more boxes having any chances of being useful, though none stood in particular. Until…

… _.canned veggies, no, canned salmon, not bad, God, I could go for some of that right now, but no. Anchovies? Blegh, too salty and a pain to open. Whoever made those cans was a moron. If you don't have that key thing…_

Green eyes widened.

_One of those key things that would be perfect to pick these cuffs!_

Course set, Nick began the laborious task of moving his chair, while strapped to it, without making any noise. He stood, squatted, winced, grabbed the chair, and began to slowly waddle towards his destination. It was only a few feet, but it still took him nearly a minute to get there.

Carefully lining up his chair, he slowly sat it back down so that the box in question was directly behind him and in reach of his restricted paws. The box was actually on the second shelf, forcing him to lean forward so he could raise his paws up to where the box was. After some groping, he just barely managed to get his claws into the cardboard.

Dragging the box forward a little, he started to cut through the sides with his claws. It took a few passes to get through the cardboard, but soon he had cut a sizeable hole.

With the help of his claws, he managed to pull out one of the tightly packed tins. Sitting up in his chair, green eyes sparkled and if weren't for the cursed muzzle he would have been grinning.

Sure enough, the key, almost identical to a common paint can opener, was taped to the top of the anchovy tin. Paws trembling in excitement, Nick tore the key away. He clenched it in his fist, taking a moment to savor the feeling of it in his paw, as well as letting his excitement simmer down. His shaking paws would make it difficult to pick the lock.

A few deep breaths later, Nick was as calm as he thought he could be, given the situation. Shifting the key in his hand, he held it tightly between thumb and fingers, not willing to risk dropping it. After a some fumbling, he got the tapered point into the keyhole.

_Easy now, easy…_

Forcing himself to be patient, he carefully began to fish around in the lock. He knew how simple they were. There was a metal tab, and all he had to do was press down on it _just right…_

The cuff loosened with a _click!_ Nick sat back, momentarily stunned by his success. Then, he pulled his arms forwards, staring at his paws in wonder. One still held the anchovy tin, while the other held the can key, the cuffs dangling from the wrist.

His face throbbed.

Dropping the tin and the key, both paws leapt up to get the muzzle off. Frantically, he scratched at the back of it, trying figure out the latch. He found a flat knob. Clutching it, he gave it a twist. When that tightened the contraption, he immediately went the other way. The instant it was loose enough, his other paw snatched it off.

He held the wad of vinyl straps and metal rings in his paw and glared down at it, hate and anger in his eyes. His grip tightened until his entire arm was shaking, and his lips pulled back in vicious snarl. He threw it to the side, where it hit the wall and fell to the floor with a series of muffled clinks.

Ignoring the cuffs still dangling from his wrist, he bent forward to rake the duct tape holding him to the chair with his claws. Not even bothering to remove it from his fur, his only focus was to get free.

Once the hold on him was broken, he nearly leapt from the chair. He shook himself out and paced back and forth, trying to burn off his anxious energy. His body screamed at him to throw open the door and escape, but he resisted the urge. Beyond that door was Honey and, even if she _was_ out of shape, badgers were _tough._ If he wanted to get past her, he would have to avoid her entirely, impossible in the cramped bunker, or ambush her.

Nick stopped, surprised at himself. Was he really planning on _attacking Honey?_ The woman that he'd known his entire life, who had taken him in when his own mother died. Was he really..?

Almost against his will, his gaze drifted towards the muzzle. He stared at it, remembering the last day of his life. It had been horrible, but his time with Honey had been a revelation. She was obsessed. He'd always known that, but now he knew, without a doubt, that her obsession meant more to her than his love. That meant he wasn't trapped in a glorified basement with someone that was like a mother to him. He was trapped in a basement with a crazy person. So it was time to choose. A discarded bond, or his life.

It was a surprisingly easy choice to make.

Grabbing the chair, he placed it by the door so that it would be hidden when it swung open. Then he grabbed the open box of anchovy tins and shook it out. The metal cans made quite a racket as they went skittering over the concrete floor.

Nick quickly made his way to the chair. He didn't have to wait long. Almost immediately the sound of Honey's heavy footfalls came. The door flew open, and the familiar badger came rushing in.

Nick picked up the chair and locked his eyes on to her back.

"What's-" was as far as she got. Nick brought the chair up and over, one leg catching the bulb hanging overhead. The light exploded, lighting up the room in a blue-white flash, only to then cast it into darkness. Nick felt the chair connect, his arms giving a painful jolt. He hoped it was enough. The crashing sound that followed was almost deafening in the enclosed space.

Without another thought, the fox spun and dashed towards the light shining through the door, grabbing the door handle as he went and slamming it shut behind him. He hesitated for an instant, staring at his paw clutched around the knob. Then he turned away and fled.

* * *

Author's Note.

Thanks to Chesterization, who has helped me a lot on the subject of plot planning and building.

Thanks to DragoLord19D, RandomNobody37, Gamer4COD, DrummerMax64, and Hebbocake for helpful, wonderful feedback, suggestions, and corrections.

You guys make this whole process so much easier. Thank you.


	7. Tough to Get Traction

_July 8th, 1:12am_

_Location Unknown_

_Gmork threw the door open, snarling in rage. The light coming from the hallway behind him illuminated the room before him, revealing an underwhelmingly average hotel room. Two beds with floral patterned blankets, bedside table, an old tv on a dresser, and a little round table with two chairs in the corner._

_Another wolf sat in one of the chairs, though she was so different from the raging black furred canid at the door that you would wonder how they could be the same species. Where he was tall, over six foot, she was short, barely touching four feet. Her fur was a pleasant auburn, with white running down her front, wrapping her paws and tipping her tail. Even their attire clashed, him in black, blood-stained battle fatigues, while she wore comfortable tie-dye sweat pants and an old red t-shirt._

" _I know. I saw everything," she said, not looking up from her laptop. Her rapid typing paused as Gmork approached the table. Her warm brown eyes lifted from the screen in front of her just long enough to give him a once over, then they snapped back, her typing picking up again. "I'm glad you're alright."_

_Gmork slammed his paws on the table, his lips pulled back in a snarl. The other wolf shifted slightly away from him, but kept working. "It's the fox, isn't it?!"_

_The she-wolf paused with a sigh, turning so she could look into his intense yellow eyes. "Yes, John. It chose him."_

" _SON OF A_ _ **BITCH!**_ " _Gmork whirled away, paced back to the still open door and slammed it shut with all his might, making the red-furred female flinch. The room fell into darkness, the only source of light being the laptop's screen. The dark wolf disappeared into the black, except for his golden eyes. They loomed in the dark, pinning her to her seat "Where. Is. He?"_

" _I…" she trailed off, swallowing nervously. "I don't know."_

" _HOW?!" Gmork lunged from the darkness, pressing the she-wolf back into her seat. The computer screen lit half of his face, throwing it into stark contrasts of light and shadow, making his teeth gleam and eyes glow even more ominously. "How can you not know?!"_

_The female scrambled for an excuse, anything to shift the terrifying wolf's ire away from her. "You know Zootopians and their stupid 'Back to Nature' architecture! There are so many fake trees in the Rainforest District that the satellite coverage is less than five percent. There's just… nothing to see," she whimpered._

_Gmork raised his paw, his fingertips brushing against the white fur on her throat. Her eyes widened, his touch making her heart feel like it was going to beat out of her chest. His claws threaded into her fur, fingers taking her pulse as he gently gripped her neck. Fierce yellow eyes bore into frightened browns as he felt her lifeblood rush through the delicate arteries just below his claw tips._

"Ruby…" _He spoke her name, his voice a spine-chilling cross between a growl and a whisper._

" _John, I'm trying as hard as I can." Unable to hold his gaze anymore, she shut her eyes. It made her feel very, very vulnerable. "Police bands, news lines, even the ambulance radios. If anything appears, anything at all…" She trailed off, letting the thought hang in the air. Ruby kept her eyes closed, unable to focus on anything but Gmork: his big, powerful paw wrapped around her throat; his warm, gentle breaths sweeping the fur of her snout; his raw, masculine scent, befitting a wolf of his stature, though tainted with just a hint of something… artificial. Seconds passed, each one seeming to take longer than the last. Finally, he withdrew._

_Ruby opened her eyes to see Gmork was no longer in front of her, having disappeared into the dark. She raised one paw to rub at her neck, but stilled when the door into the room opened again. The black wolf was silhouetted by the light streaming in from the hallway. He turned to look at her, eyes golden beacons shining from indistinct shadow._

" _Find me that fox."_

* * *

"Found you!"

Nick started, his gaze snapping up. His eyes widened when he spotted an alarmingly familiar rabbit staring at him, a _very_ self-satisfied smile on her face.

 _It hasn't even been thirty seconds…_ he thought absently. It was true, he had just left Honey's house and had been rushing up the stairs towards the street. He happened to be looking over his shoulder, making sure he wasn't being followed, when the jubilant cry had come from in front of him.

Now the fox and bunny stood staring at each other, one dressed in boxers and a stolen raincoat and the other in form-fitting police garb, separated only by three flights of stairs and the pouring rain.

Then the gravity of his situation occurred to Nick.

"Oh, _come on!_ Is this _really happening!?_ " he cried, his voice cracking with a combination of stress, desperation and disbelief. He slumped to one side, one paw grabbing the rail while he scrubbed his face with the other, the cuffs that still hung from his wrist jangling from the movement. He then slid the paw back, slicking back his wet fur and pressing his ears down.

Judy's smile slid off her face as she watched him, shocked by how different he looked. Gone was the confidence and smarm, not to mention the loud shirt, replaced instead with fear and stress and a brown raincoat. His fur was ruffled and filthy, his face was swollen and bleeding from multiple slashes. There were even cuffs hanging from one of his wrists.

Not sure what else to do, she let her police training take over. Starting forward, she slowly began to walk down the stairs, one paw lifted in a calming gesture, the other hovering over her duty belt.

"Sir, please remain calm." When Nick looked back to her, she watched his eyes take her in. When his gaze landed on her belt, she belatedly remembered the can of Fox Away holstered there, marked with a distinct pink label. She tried to cover it with a paw, but knew immediately it was the wrong move. The fox's eyes widened, fear flashing across his face. She opened her mouth to talk him down, but he turned and bolted down the stairs before she could utter a syllable. Faster than she could believe possible, the fox had disappeared into a space between the buildings lining the stairway.

"Wait! Stop!" Jerking into motion, Judy hopped down the stairs towards where he disappeared. However, she underestimated just how slick the wet stairs were. When she tried to turn after him, her paws went flying out from under her. Grabbing the rail saved her from a nasty fall, but she still admonished herself for the seconds wasted getting her feet under her again.

_I hope the fox didn't see that..._

* * *

Nick panted as he fled down the alley, silently screaming at himself.

 _What are you DOING? All of your escape routes depend on the cop being too big to follow! She's a_ rabbit. _She can follow you wherever you go!_

However, even though he knew he should, he couldn't bring himself to stop. He had been through too much to just give in now. Glancing over his shoulder, he just managed to catch the bunny officer's stumble.

_...rabbits have no traction. Maybe I have a chance. Just have to find some place slick…_

Turning forward again, he poured on all the speed his abused body could produce. The alley came to an end, the fox entering another stairwell. Turning left, he started upwards. After a quick mental review of his map of the area, a plan began to form.

* * *

Judy grumbled to herself when the fox turned left up the stairs, disappearing from view.

_I guess he did see that._

She would be forced to go slower up the stairs for fear of slipping on the slick steps. Reaching the stairwell, she turned to go after the fox. It was three steps up before she realised she still couldn't see him. Panic seized her for a moment, but her police training quickly took hold.

_Don't panic, he can't have gone far…_

Pausing on the next landing, she perked up her ears, listening for footsteps. Her ears twitched once, twice, then swung to the right.

_There!_

She took off into the alley on her right, nearly jumping for joy when she managed to spot the fox running ahead of her. Pouring on the speed, she ate up the distance between them.

* * *

Nick's ears twitched as he heard the rapid patter of steps behind him.

_Damn, she's fast! There's not enough time!_

He came out into another stairwell. This time he went right, down the stairs. He only made it one flight before Judy came barreling out of the alley behind him. He ducked left into another alley, hoping that the fast rabbit would have another accident on the slippery stairs.

* * *

Judy came out into the third stairwell just in time to see the fox disappear into another alley. Making a snap decision, she gauged the distance and the angle. Using the edge of the next stair down for purchase, she bunched her legs. Then, in one powerful push, launched herself into space.

* * *

Nick wasn't prepared for the rabbit to land _right next to him._ He jerked away from her, but the distraction cost him. His feet got tangled up and he went down, hard.

" _OOF!_ " Landing on his injured chest sent a wave of agony through his body, blanking his mind from the sheer magnitude of it. For a moment, he was completely lost in the haze, teetering on the edge of blacking out. A tug on his arm and a loud click brought him out of it.

He didn't realize his eyes were closed until he opened them again. But any worry about that was wiped away when he realized just _what_ he was seeing. He stared at the cuffs that Honey had gifted him, the one end still around his wrist. Now, the other was firmly shut around a thick electrical conduit. Trailing his eyes upward, he saw that the pipe terminated in a sturdy utility box, bolted to the wall. Downward revealed the pipe disappeared into the pavement. He wasn't going anywhere.

Judy watched from several feet away, a smile on her face. She had done it. She had captured a mammal of interest in a multiple homicide. Real police work. She wasn't a token meter maid bunny anymore.

"Nicholas Wilde, you are under arrest!" she declared, victorious. Her smile dimmed somewhat when the fox ignored her, continuing to stare at his cuffs like they couldn't possibly exist. Now that she thought about it, why _did_ the fox have cuffs on him? Not in his possession, but actually hanging from one of his wrists. She took a step forward to get a closer look, but froze when the movement drew the fox's eyes.

Any happy feelings Judy may have had died. The fox's green eyes were filled with somber acceptance. He looked at her like a mammal resigned to death, and _she_ was the executioner. A few, long seconds went by, Judy pinned by the fox's look. Then, Nick looked away with a sigh, freeing the rabbit from the spell.

With a pained grunt, Nick pushed himself up onto his knees, prompting Judy to back up a few steps. The fox slumped sideways, leaning one shoulder against the wall, head down and eyes closed. Putting his free paw to his chest, he tried to get his breath back, taking a few shallow gasps, then a few deeper inhales. It felt like his ribs were made of shattered glass.

Judy, with her superb hearing, easily discerned how strained his breathing was. She was surprised he ran as far as he did, with his lungs sounding so ragged. She took a few steps toward the fox, watching him carefully for any twitches or looks, any sign he might be planning something.

Nick didn't look at her or even open his eyes, but when he smiled bitterly, Judy knew it was for her.

"Hey, Carrots. Long time no see. What brings you to my…" he paused, taking a deep breath, "...neck of the woods?" His voice had an ironic lilt, making the otherwise friendly greeting a parody of itself, a commentary on the absurdity of his situation.

Judy watched the fox silently, not finding it in her to get mad at his use of the hated nickname. _I should be happy,_ she thought to herself. Vindicated. She was right and he was wrong and she should rub it in his face. But she couldn't. He was just too… pathetic. All beat up and sad, fur soaked and limp from the constant, pouring rain.

When no answer came, Nick finally let himself look at his captor. When he saw the pity in her big violet eyes, he turned away with a disgusted scoff. Leaning back against the wall, he sat down, tail lying limp on the wet pavement, legs splayed before him. The jacket spread open, putting his boxers on display, but he was too spent to care.

As the fox shifted to a more comfortable position, Judy's attention was drawn to his legs. She was at first confused, then shocked, when she recognized the shredded remains of duct tape covering his shins and bunched up in his fur.

Red flags appeared in her mind, police training taking over. She looked at the cuffs, the claw marks on his face, the state of his fur, his clothes. It all lead to one conclusion.

"You were held against your will," she said, quietly horrified. Nick looked back at her, something resembling his usual smug smirk on his snout.

"Yeah. You would think I'd be used to it by now," he jabbed sarcastically, shaking his cuffed arm to jangle the chain. Judy, however, was too distracted to notice.

 _I was on my way to...and he was running from…_ Something clicked in her mind, and she looked at Nick, carefully watching for his reaction.

"Honey Badger," she said. Nick flinched and looked away, confirming what Judy suspected. "You were held against your will in Honey Badger's home."

"..." Nick's pained silence spoke volumes. Judy hadn't been sure before, whether to treat the fox as a suspect or a victim. She knew now.

Nick was surprised when Judy stepped into his personal space. He flinched away, conditioned by recent experiences to fear contact. He was even more surprised when she knelt down by his captive arm and reached out for his paw.

"Hey! What are you..," he trailed off as, with a few clicks, the cuff opened, freeing his wrist. Judy backed away, slipping the key she just used into one of her pouches as she went. Nick slowly brought his newly freed wrist to his chest, rubbing at it with his other paw. He stared at the rabbit standing in front of him like she was an alien that just beamed down from the sky. The goofy expression on his face actually made the little officer smile.

"You're not free to go or anything. I just suspect you're not dumb enough to run again. You're not, right?" she teased, trying for a little levity. It didn't seem to work. Nick just continued to stare.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, completely serious. Judy's smile slipped away. "You're a _cop. A rabbit cop._ I'm a _fox._ I tried to _run_. Shouldn't you be…" He gestured with his paw at nothing in particular, like he would pull the answer from the air around him. "I don't know, beating me with a phone book or something?"

"Okay, first thing," Judy started, rolling her eyes, "the phone book thing is a myth. Second thing, this is the twenty-first century. Who has a phone book anymore? Third thing," Judy closed her eyes with a sigh, then opened them so she could lock gazes with the fox. "You've been through enough. I'm not going to put you through more if I don't have to. Just… behave, alright?"

Nick leaned forward, searching the rabbit's face for any sign of deception. To his continuing surprise, he found none. She seemed completely genuine. He relaxed, gingerly resting his head against the wall behind him. "Alright."

"Good. Is there anything I need to know before I bring you in? Do you need medical attention?" Just the mention of medical attention was enough to make Nick wince, his entire body reminding him of his pathetic state.

"Ah, yeah. Since I'm caught and everything, I definitely wouldn't mind going to a hospital. Today has just been the _worst,_ " he said, understating it sarcastically.

"Worse than yesterday?" Judy asked facetiously, willing to play along now that the fox was cooperating. Nick gave her a funny look, confusing her. "What?"

"Yesterday? What happened yesterday?" he asked, genuinely confused. Judy was starting to get concerned. Did he have amnesia?

"You know… murders at the pier? Happened yesterday night? Are you okay?" The questions only seemed to confuse Nick more.

"That was yesterday? Today isn't the…" he squinted, trying to recall the date, "...the eighth?"

Judy shook her head. "No, Mr. Wilde. Today is the ninth of July."

Nick sat back, looking befuddled. "Honey must have hit me harder than I thought."

Judy looked alarmed. "She hit you? Do you have a head injury?"

"Uh," Nick automatically lifted a paw to the back of his head to check. He winced as he found a tender spot behind his right ear. "She definitely knocked me out with something…"

Judy didn't hesitate to step right into Nick's personal space, making him shift uncomfortably. She whipped a pen light out of one of the pouches on her belt, then shined it into his eyes. The fox winced and tried to look away, but the bunny grabbed his nose with her other paw and forced his head still.

"Don't move. I need to check you for a concussion." Nick was still taller than Judy, even seated, so he was forced to look down slightly while she leaned in close, carefully checking the fox's pupils with her little flashlight. Nick squirmed, fiercely uncomfortable with how close the rabbit was. Satisfied with her inspection, the bunny cop backed away. Nick gave a quiet sigh of relief.

"Okay. Nothing is obviously wrong, but if you lost a whole day, you definitely need to go to a hospital. Is there… anything else?" It was less of a question and more of a suggestion, a chance for Nick to volunteer something. Nick stared at her, confused. Her violet eyes dipped to his chest, still covered by the jacket, then back to his face. Getting the hint, Nick's eyes widened, his ears fell back and he threw his paws out to act as a shield.

"You don't want to see this! I _keep telling_ people they _don't_ _want_ to see this, but they _make me_ , then they _freak_ and _I'm the one_ that gets hurt. Please. _Please._ Don't make me do it again," he begged. Actually _begged._

Judy huffed, feeling bad for forcing the issue, but she _knew,_ deep down in her gut, that whatever the fox was hiding was key to this investigation. Four mammals were confirmed dead. It was too important to ignore.

"I'm sorry, but I have to see it. Mammals have _died_." She knelt by his side and gently pushed his paws down, looking at him with pleading eyes. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

She sounded so _sincere._ Nick rolled his eyes, feeling his resistance crumbling but not really able to do anything about it. " _Fine,_ " he spat, trying to hide his unease with annoyance. He reached for the buttons holding his coat together, grumbling to himself. "Hey, when she beats you, you'll get to sue for police brutality. Won't that be _nice._ "

The last button came undone, and he pulled the jacket open, revealing the awful wound to Judy. That, and the unknown sphere within, pulsing in time with Nick's breathing.

Nick looked up to gauge Judy's reaction. Ears limp, eyes wide and mouth covered with her paws, the rabbit was a perfect representation of horror. The bunny was stuck in place, unable to process what she was seeing. Then Nick took a breath. Seeing the edges of his lungs visibly inflate inside his chest was enough for Judy's mind to get traction.

Seeing the rabbit's paw shoot to her duty belt, Nick closed his eyes and shrunk away, expecting a face full of Fox Away.

"Dispatch! This is Officer Hopps!" Nick's eyes sprung open. Judy had both of her paws wrapped around a small radio. Though she spoke into it urgently, she still hadn't taken her eyes off of his chest. "I need an ambulance to my location, immediately! I have an adult red fox, male, early thirties, _massive_ trauma to the chest!"

"Copy that, Officer Hopps. Ambulance inbound, ETA five minutes," Clawhauser's voice snapped back, sounding completely serious for the first time since Judy had met the jolly feline.

"Okay! Okay! We have to- uh-" Her voice was frantic, nose twitching. Judy fumbled with clipping the radio back onto her belt with one paw, while she dug into a pouch with the other. "We have to apply first aid!" The radio fell to the ground, though she didn't seem to notice. She pulled out a little blue pouch, a bold red cross emblazoned on it.

Nick was surprised when she stood from her previous crouch to walk right onto his lap, placing one paw on his shoulder to steady herself while she leaned in to inspect the wound, looking harried and worried and terrified. Nick lifted his paws up, as though to support her, but he didn't actually touch her. His paws hovered over her arms, unsure of what to do.

"Uh, no- no obvious bleeding so- so, just apply the dressing…" Judy mumbled to herself, desperately trying to remember her first aid training. She took the steadying paw off his shoulder to dig into the pouch. She quickly came up with some folded gauze. Dropping the pouch, she wasted no time in preparing the pad. When she went to apply it, she froze as she came to a sickening realization: her paws were too small to cover the hole.

Seeing her problem, Nick quickly intervened, "Here. Let me." Gently grabbing the gauze from her, he pressed it over the wound with one paw. Judy grabbed his much larger paw with both of her own, increasing the pressure on the wound. It hurt, _a lot_. Nick winced, but didn't try to dissuade the bunny. She was doing the best she could to help, which was better than anyone else he'd met since this ordeal had begun.

She finally lifted her gaze from his wound. Her bright amethyst eyes were wide and glassy, and Nick was surprised to smell salt through the rain.

"You're going to be okay. I'm- I'm going to make sure you get to a hospital and they- they-" The bunny was crying. For him. The very idea was so strange that Nick didn't know how to deal with it. So, he did what he could. He gently gripped her shoulder with his free paw, comforting her the only way he knew how.

" _Hopps! Hopps, respond!"_ the radio barked from where it fell. The rabbit and the fox jumped at the unexpected noise. Judy glanced over her shoulder at it, then back to Nick, torn between retrieving the device and keeping pressure on his wound.

"Go on. Get it. Sounds important," Nick said, jutting his chin at the radio. Judy nodded, reluctantly pulling away. After a quick breath, she spun and snatched the radio off the ground.

"Hopps here," she reported, her voice only a little shaky.

" _Hopps! What are you doing?!"_ Bogo's deep voice tore from the speaker.

"Chief Bogo, I'm here with Nicholas Wilde-" she began, only to be interrupted.

" _Who?!"_ the buffalo asked, loudly.

"He's the survivor from the pier-" she tried to explain, only to be interrupted again.

" _You went into the field without authorization?!"_ Bogo's accusation worsened Judy's already frazzled nerves.

"I had a lead. Grizzoli told me to follow it up on my own!" she snapped, louder than intended. There was a moment of tense silence.

" _Did he?_ " Bogo growled, quieter than before, but all the more menacing. " _I'm going to ask him about that. Someone will meet you at the hospital to bring you back to the precinct. In the meantime, keep an eye on the fox. I have questions for him. Your career depends on him answering. Am I clear, Hopps?"_

"Crystal, Chief," she replied, voice tight.

" _Good. Out."_ The radio went dead, so Judy clipped it to her belt, her foot tapping all the while.

"Your boss sounds like a fun loving guy. Real easy going." Nick commented sarcastically. Judy spun back around, stepping forward and lifting her paws to apply pressure on his wound. Nick held his paw out flat in front of her face, stopping her short.

"My chest is fine, please don't push on it anymore," he said flatly. He dropped his paw to his lap, he gave her his usual smug smirk. Judy smiled back, embarrassed.

"I guess I kind of freaked out, huh?" she asked, ears low.

"Oh yeah. One hundred percent. But…" His smile shifted. Less smug, more genuine. But only slightly. "Thank you. No one's tried to help me. Not once they saw… it. Except you."

Judy smiled, her ears perked up and violet eyes sparkling. Even with her fur soaked in the rain, Nick thought her beaming face was the loveliest thing he'd seen in a long time. "You're welcome."

* * *

Author's Note:

Many thanks to my beta readers: DrummerMax64; Gamer4COD; RandomNobody37; and Hebbocake.

Another round of applause to my advisers: DragoLord19D and Chesterization

P.S. Thank you, airistal, for defining 'eidolon' for me.

P.P.S Some of you have asked about my other ongoing work 'Evolved'. Here is what I have planned: Finish EEE, then back to Evolved. So, its going to take a while. If I had to guess, April 2017. Maybe earlier, probably later.


	8. She never said no

July 9th, 5:12pm

A short, auburn furred wolf sat in front of a sleek black laptop in a cheap hotel room. The blinds were down, blocking most of the incoming sunlight. There were bags under her eyes, a sure sign of a recent lack of sleep.

If she was tired, it certainly didn't show in her work. Different windows and programs cluttered the screen, filled with every type of information ranging from social media and news feeds to official police radio transcripts and government memorandums.

All of these and more flashed by at dizzying speeds, the wolf only needing to glance at each for an instant to discern their meaning. Then she was off to the next, combing through everything Zootopia had to offer at a prodigious rate.

A little red exclamation mark flashed in the bottom right corner of her screen. She moved the cursor instantly, clicking the notification. An audio file popped up and began to play. As it went on, her eyes began to widen.

" _...immediately! I have an adult red fox, male, early thirties,_ massive _trauma to the chest!_ "

There was a compact radio on the table next to the laptop. She snatched it up with both paws and pressed the button.

"I found him!" There was a brief pause, then Gmork's unmistakable growl replied.

" _Where?_ "

* * *

After a brief argument ( _Oh, c'mon! I take up, what, a cubic foot of space?)_ the paramedics let Judy ride with them. Now they were making their way to the nearest hospital, lights flashing and sirens blaring. In spite of the noise, the atmosphere inside of the ambulance was fairly relaxed. Though Nick's wound was large, it wasn't bleeding, nor was it impairing his ability to breathe, much. With nothing else to do, the paramedic, a handsome roe deer named Rayburn, offered to give him some painkillers. Nick accepted, with the proviso that it didn't knock him out or make him loopy.

The drugs were kicking in. Nick settled back with a sigh of pure relief. He didn't realize just _how much_ he hurt until suddenly it was gone. Just the absence of the pain was almost euphoric. He leaned back, eyes closed, and just enjoyed it for a few, long moments.

But, the moments passed, as they always do. His good sense asserted itself, made it clear he really needed to deal with his current situation. His eyes cracked open. They landed almost immediately on the rabbit officer. She was fidgeting where she sat, glancing around the ambulance curiously, though her eyes often flicked back to the bandage now taped over his chest, constantly checking up on him. That made him uncomfortable, and whenever Nick Wilde was uncomfortable, he talked.

"Bet this isn't what you had in mind for your Saturday night," he said. Judy perked up, only just realizing his eyes were cracked open. She thought he had fallen asleep. Then what he said registered.

"You're right about that. Three days ago, I would have thought it would be another day on parking duty, then back to my apartment. This is actually a step up, so thanks for that," she said, smirking facetiously.

"Back to your apartment? No night on the town? I can't believe a pretty young doe like you can't get a date. You're in Zootopia, now!" He raised his arms in a grand gesture, encompassing everything around them, even through the ambulance walls. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Being the first rabbit cop is important work. I don't have time for frivolous things like dating," she explained, looking away with her arms crossed. Nick took in her defensive posture, deciding that dating was a sore point with her. Time to divert.

"Did you just say 'frivolous'?" he asked.

"Yeah, so what?" she asked shortly, glancing back at him from the corner of her eye.

"I'm impressed is all. It's smart. An attractive quality to have," he complimented. Judy's ears fell as she realized that was the second time he'd done so.

"You… think I'm pretty?" She tried to ask it as neutrally as possible, but she couldn't help fiddling with the tip of one ear.

Nick snorted derisively. It hurt more than Judy could have ever expected, but before she could respond, the fox continued.

" _Of course_ I think you're pretty," he said it as though it should have been obvious and she was stupid for thinking otherwise. Judy turned to face him, her eyes wide, face flustered. "You have to be the most well groomed cop I've ever seen. With that body glove you're wearing, it's easy to see that you're definitely the most fit. Hunky paramedic guy, help me out here." Nick turned to the roe buck sitting next to him. The paramedic, who had been watching their exchange with some degree of amusement, raised a brow at the nickname. Still, he turned to look at Judy. The rabbit watched uneasily as he gave her a quick once over. He smiled approvingly.

"Yeah. I'm not into bunnies, but I'd say she's pretty. Like a painting," he opined candidly. Nick snapped his fingers, drawing Judy's attention with a start.

"That's perfect! Like a painting." He stretched out his arms, paws forming into a frame. He looked through it with one eye at the embarrassed bunny, like he was picturing her on a canvas. "Maybe one of the early works of the old masters. Those are always my favorite. Each one is a discovery: the artist learning something new. Tell you what," He dropped his paws to his lap, giving Judy his best roguish grin. Rather than ruin the effect, his current ragged appearance, open raincoat, boxers and all, actually enhanced it, like that smile was made just for such a situation. "I'll take you to see them some time. I know _all_ the best museums and art galleries in the city. Even some private collections you couldn't see on your own. What do you say?"

Judy sat back, stunned by the invitation. Had she just been asked out? By a criminal? By a _fox?_ It was absurd! It was… kind of tempting. Which was even _more_ absurd!

Rayburn, the 'hunky paramedic guy', snorted, rolling his eyes as he stood. Stooping because of the low ceiling, he looked down at Nick, derision in his eyes. "Nice try, fox. She's too good for you."

"I wasn't asking _you,_ _Knubby,_ so why don't you let the lady decide?" Nick looked up at the deer, expression mutinous. The buck rolled his eyes and turned away, stepping into the cab and sitting in the passenger seat. Nick turned back to Judy, smiling again, the annoyance from the interruption completely gone, like it never happened. As the silence stretched on, Judy realised she would have to answer, one way or the other.

"Um, sorry?" she said, unsure. "Since you're in an active investigation, I can't really...," she trailed off lamely. Nick waved a paw, still smiling.

"I didn't mean _tonight_. After all of this is over," he explained.

"Uh," Judy was stuck, trying to find a reason to say no that wasn't insanely offensive. "Cops aren't really supposed to socialize with criminals."

"I have never been convicted of a crime. Not even a parking ticket. Although," he looked at her knowingly, still smiling, "I think you already knew that."

"Oh, really? What happened at the dock wasn't a crime?" she challenged, thinking she had him. Nick frowned, not liking being reminded of what happened. Dying wasn't something he wanted to remember.

"I was in the midst of a perfectly legal transaction when I was _attacked_ ," he defended, disgruntled. Judy looked at him dubiously, clearly not convinced.

"What kind of _perfectly legal_ transaction were you doing at an abandoned dock in the middle of the night?"

"I was showing a client of my travel agency to her pleasure craft. Privacy was her main concern, so I arranged for the boarding to happen after most mammals went home."

"You have to be registered with the county clerk to be a travel agent."

Nick crossed his arms, looking at her with a raised brow. "I am registered. Ask City Hall, they have my paperwork."

"What about the boat?"

"The _Amoureux de la Mer_ and her captain, Charles Kuril, are both well-documented residents of the Mangrove Docks."

"The travel plan?"

"The itinerary, in complete detail, is registered with the Zootopian Port Authority. Feel free to check." He raised a brow, challenging her to try again. Judy felt like she was having a flash back to the first time they met. He beat her then, and it would appear he would beat her now. She didn't like it. Not one bit.

"You evaded arrest," she grumbled resignedly, knowing he would have a solution already worked out. The fox didn't disappoint.

"Well, that might be a problem, if it wasn't for a few _itsy bitsy little details~_ " he sing songed, holding his paw up, thumb and finger held close together. Then he made a fist, his first digit sticking out. "One: you failed to verbally identify yourself as an Officer of the ZPD," he stuck out his second digit, "Two: you were wearing a non-standard uniform, giving me reasonable doubt you were really a cop," he continued.

Judy looked down at her custom made ZPD patrol uniform, shocked, having never before considered it could be an issue.

Nick stuck out his last finger, wiggling them playfully at the dismayed rabbit cop, getting her attention back. "And _Whoopsie Number Threesie_ ~" his smile widened, seeing her expression darken as she remembered the last time he used that phrase, "I had just escaped a traumatic situation when _somebunny,_ " he tilted his head at her, both brows raised, "who had already harassed me once before threatened me _again,_ using a non-police issue, _species specific_ mace." Pointing at the little pink can of Fox Away still holstered on her hip, he grinned at her, enjoying the way she glared. She was just so _cute_ when she was mad. "That's taxonomic profiling, Fluff. A punishable offence in the Zootopia Police Department. You try to press that charge, I'll have your badge as a _paperweight_." His smirk was every bit as smug and condescending as it was when he left her standing in wet concrete.

Judy couldn't stand it. "What is _wrong_ with you?!"

* * *

As Judy began to berate a smiling Nick, a different argument was going on in the cab of the ambulance.

"It's weird!" Rayburn, the roe deer paramedic, said. His companion, a stout capybara named Bartlett, snorted from behind the wheel.

"No, your obsession with _pirate metal_ is weird. Two consenting mammals in a relationship is normal."

"Hey, don't rag on Captain Bob. Anyway, a rabbit and a fox?" Rayburn shot the capybara a look, his face twisted in disgust. "Any predator, really-"

"Z-Wagon 245, respond," the radio barked, interrupting the deer. The paramedics glanced at the radio, then at each other, confused. Neither one recognized the voice. After a second, Bartlett gestured for Rayburn to get it. The deer did so, grabbing the microphone.

"Uh, Z-Wagon 245 responding. Rayburn here. Who is this?"

"Central. You're being redirected. New destination is Zootopia General," the feminine voice replied. The paramedics looked at each other again, annoyance mixing in with their confusion. Bartlett turned back to the road, while Rayburn glared at the radio.

"What happened to Linda? She was our dispatch."

"She was called away. Now, confirm you understand your orders."

"Whats going on?" Both paramedics jerked in their seats, twisting to face the unexpected voice. Judy was standing between them, glancing from one to the other with some concern.

"Geez," Bartlett rolled his eyes and turned back to the road.

"They want us to go to Zootopia General," Rayburn explained.

Judy's brow scrunched up as she thought about what that meant. "Won't that take longer?"

"Yup," the deer confirmed, turning back to the microphone in his hoof. "Central, that will add twenty-five minutes to our ETA. Rainforest Medical can take care of this patient," he argued.

"Sorry, guy, that's not my problem. They want you at ZG, so that's where you're going."

"Ugh." Rayburn rolled his eyes, letting his head fall back into his seat with a dull thud. He raised the microphone to his mouth. "Copy that, Central. Z-Wagon 245, bound for Zootopia General. Out."

* * *

After a brief discussion with the paramedics, Judy returned to her previous spot on the bench. Nick glanced at her, raising a brow at her miffed look.

"So, Carrots-"

"My name is Officer Judy Hopps. You can use any of those three words."

"...right. So, Carrots, what happens next?"

Judy glared at the fox on the gurney. He just smirked, back to his usual smug, confident self. When it was clear she wasn't going to get him to use her proper name, the rabbit huffed.

"I don't know for sure. With a wound as bad as yours, usually they would let you go straight to surgery. But, you're fine. I mean, you're not _obviously_ dying, you're able to answer questions and your pain isn't debilitating. The department might keep you around to answer questions. A lot of questions. This is the worst crime Zootopia has seen in years, so it's the highest priority possible. There's a lot to talk about," she explained from her spot on the bench by the door.

Nick nodded sagely, taking a moment to think. "If you asked the questions now, would that speed up the process?"

Judy sighed, lowering her gaze to her lap. "Probably not. This is my first investigation. The senior detectives are definitely going to want to talk to you themselves."

"Higher ups don't really trust the first bunny cop, huh? Shocker."

Head snapping up, she glared at Nick, outraged, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

The fox looked at her, face blank. "I meant what I said before. You'll never be a real cop. Not to them."

Judy sputtered, almost too enraged to speak. "What- Why not?! Because I'm a bunny!? Because I'm-"

"It's because they hate you." Nick's softly spoken words struck her like a hammer, silencing her and throwing her back in her seat. Judy stared at him, astounded. He stared back, sympathetic, but also _so sure._ He believed what he said. There wasn't any doubt.

Unbidden, memories of the last three months on the force started bouncing around the rabbit's skull. Bogo treating her like a nuisance. Less than playful jibes in the hallway, jokes told behind her back. Thinking back on it, Clawhauser had been the only one to be kind to her. But even he hadn't started that way. What had he said that first day, once her back was turned and he thought she couldn't hear?

_They're going to eat her alive._

"W-why would you say that? How can you know they hate me?" she asked softly.

"Because you're different. Because you're small. Because they've only had large mammals on the force. You're an insult to their pride. If _you,_ a cute little bunny, can do their jobs, then _anyone_ can do it. That means they're not special anymore. How would you feel if some stranger said, to your _face,_ that you don't matter?"

Judy knew the answer to that. A fox had done so her first day on the force. For the first time, she had really felt like she might not make it. That she was just a token bunny. She had hated him for that.

_Is that what I am to Bogo? To all of them? A stranger trying to crush what makes them special?_

* * *

While Judy was having her epiphany, the ambulance approached an intersection. It was a four way light, but two of the streets were cordoned off by striped road work barricades. A raccoon wearing a bright orange hard hat and reflective safety vest over a black shirt and slacks was redirecting traffic to the right. Upon spotting the ambulance, he held out one paw, signaling them to wait. Turning around, he hurried to the barricade directly behind him. Lifting one end, he swung it to the side, then waved the ambulance through. After the ambulance passed, he swung the barricade back. As he retook his spot directing traffic, he tapped his right ear.

"Checkpoint Alpha, reporting," he said, once again directing traffic to the right. "The package is on its way."

* * *

Nick watched the rabbit wilt before his eyes, ears slumped, eyes dull and expression lost. He opened his mouth to speak, but the bunny beat him to it.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked morosely, her eyes on her lap.

Nick smiled bitterly, green eyes sharp. "I know a thing or two about discrimination. After all, they don't make rabbit repellant, do they?"

And there it was. She railed against a system for its prejudice, all while she carried around a weapon meant only to hurt one very specific kind of mammal. No wonder Nick Wilde, the _fox,_ was so keen on tearing her down.

Judy reached for the Fox Away on her hip. Pulling it out, she turned the can over in her paws, studying it intently.

Why did she take this?

_So mom and dad wouldn't worry._

Why didn't she throw it away?

_So she could show them if they asked._

Why didn't she leave it at the apartment?

_In case…_

In case what?

… _in case a fox tried to hurt me._

She had been so adamant that she was different. That she was _better._ It hurt to realise that she was just as guilty as her parents, just as guilty as _Gideon,_ of holding hate and fear in her heart. What a hypocrite she'd been.

She dropped the can on the bench next to her, then dropped her face into her paws. No one talked for a long time, which she was thankful for.

Nick watched her, patiently waiting for the bunny to pull herself together. Would she give up? Would she deny everything? Would she attack him? He wanted to see what she would do next.

* * *

The ambulance, now the only vehicle on the street, made its way toward the tunnel that would take it through the enormous climate control wall. As it disappeared inside, a camera recorded the passing.

* * *

In her darkened hotel room, Ruby watched the ambulance as it passed through the camera's feed. She raised the radio in her paw to her lips.

"They're in the tunnel."

* * *

An armored truck sat waiting at the other end of the tunnel. Large enough to accommodate rhinos and other, similarly large mammals. Many like it were used in Zootopia, most often to transport cash from businesses to banks.

The engine growled as it turned over, the headlights coming on as it started forward.

* * *

Finally, Judy raised her head. She sniffed, her eyes bloodshot. She looked at Nick, her expression hard. She snatched up the Fox Away, clutching it one paw. The fox shifted, eyeing the pink can worriedly. Then the bunny did something he didn't expect. She tossed it at him.

Reaching up, he let the can land in his paw. He stared at the label, bemused, before switching his gaze to the bunny officer. She smirked at him, clearly enjoying his befuddled look.

"Keep it. I don't need it anymore." Her smile slipped away. She gave the fox her most serious look, her eyes shining with her conviction. "You're wrong. Even if they do hate me now, I'll convince them. It doesn't matter if they never like me, I'll show them that I can be everything a good cop should be! If it takes me the rest of my life-!"

The world shifted, everything changing in a blur of light and motion and twisted metal.

* * *

In the tunnel, the ambulance and the armored truck were set to pass each other, with no indication that anything was wrong. At the last possible moment, the truck swerved over the dividing line, smashing head on into the ambulance. The much larger, heavier truck didn't just stop the ambulance cold, it threw it backwards, the smaller vehicle landing in a storm of shattered glass and plastic.

The truck's brakes squealed as the truck brought itself to a stop, its own reinforced front end barely dented by the full speed collision. The driver and passenger doors opened. Gmork stepped out first, not bothering to close the door as he walked briskly towards the tragedy he had authored. Behind him, a large grizzly bear wearing black aviator sunglasses stepped out from behind the truck's steering wheel, a shotgun in one huge paw.

The ambulance was totaled, the engine compartment crushed. Steam poured out of the mangled radiator, the sickly sweet smell of engine coolant permeating the air. Rayburn lay across the crumpled hood, blood oozing from numerous cuts, scratches and gashes, his legs trailing across the ragged edge of the hole he'd made in the windshield.

Gmork pulled out his pistol as he approached. He came to a stop by the driver side door. Peering through the ruined glass, he could just make out the form of the driver slumped over the steering wheel. Using the gun, he knocked away what was was left of the window.

Bartlett twitched, his back rising as he took in a long breath. He slowly leaned back in his seat, his face dazed. Blood oozed from both of his nostrils and his right eye was already beginning to swell. Staring blankly, his mind struggled to catch up. He hadn't quite managed when the crunching and clinking of glass drew his attention. He slowly turned left, towards the sound. There was someone there, looking at him. A black wolf with yellow eyes.

Gmork looked into the capybara's face, took in his addled expression. Then he raised his pistol. Bartlett's gaze fell to the barrel, uncomprehending.

_**Bang!** _

Blood and bone and gray matter splattered the cabin. The capabyra's head rocked backwards, a hole between his eyes. Gmork watched the body slump over the steering wheel dispassionately, then peered into the cabin, searching for any signs of life.

When nothing moved, he looked towards his companion. The bear stood on the other side of the hood, leant over Rayburn, nose bobbing as he sniffed at the deer. When the bear licked one side of his maw, Gmork's lip curled in disgust.

"You know what we're here for. Wait until _after._ " He turned away, making his way to the rear doors. The bear regretfully pulled away, hefting his gun as he fell in line behind Gmork. Holding his pistol in a ready position, the wolf reached out with his other paw and pulled the door open.

Inside was a mess. The gurney was tilted to one side, leaning against the wall. More than one of the overhead bins had burst open, scattering gauze, syringes and rubber gloves everywhere.

When his target wasn't immediately visible, the wolf reached in and pulled the gurney out, nearly throwing it behind him in his haste. Then he turned back to the ambulance.

A body lay face down on the cluttered floor. Though it was mostly obscured by a heavy raincoat, there wasn't any mistaking the tail that trailed out from under the hem. It was a fox.

Gmork stepped up into the ambulance. Kneeling next to the seemingly unconscious fox, he gripped the back of his jacket. Rolling him over, the wolf's face pinched when he saw a bandage covered the chest. Growling impatiently, the wolf snatched the dressing away, revealing the fatal wound and the mysterious orb within. He leaned in, his eyes reflecting the otherworldly light.

" _Finally,_ " he whispered reverently.

Something moved next to him. Gmork's other paw moved with startling swiftness, pointing his pistol squarely at the disturbance. A pile of medical supplies shifted. A rabbit in a police uniform sat up with a gasp, the debris covering her falling to the side. She blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the ambulance's bright overhead lights.

The world came into focus, bright violet eyes tracking to something hovering nearby. Judy wasn't prepared for what she saw. The barrel of a gun was trained on her. She stared at it, frozen. Fear coursed through her body, blood rushing through her ringing ears.

" _Oh, God_." The quiet prayer held more terror in it than any scream ever could. One paw rose between her and the gun, as though to defend herself from it.

"Sorry." The apology drew Judy's gaze from the pistol to the wolf holding it. Their eyes met, gold on amethyst. They communicated, as surely as if they were using words. Judy wanted to live. Gmork was going to kill her. "God doesn't have anything to do with this."

"Are you sure?" The question, unexpectedly, came from below. The great black wolf's gaze dropped to the supposedly unconscious fox, only to see that his green eyes were open and that he held a pink can in an outstretched paw. Nick pressed the tab, covering the soldier's head in a potent orange mist.

" _ **GAAH!**_ " Several things happened in rapid succession. First, Gmork jerked away from the attack, throwing off his aim. Second, Judy ducked. Third, the gun went off. Judy would forever be convinced that she _felt_ the bullet brush the fur between her ears.

Gmork's instinctive leap away from danger took him up, his head smashing into the ambulance's ceiling. He ducked, holding one paw protectively in front of his face and brandishing the pistol with the other.

Judy saw her chance. Rocking forward, she got her legs under her, then jumped. With one quick spin to gain momentum, she lashed one leg out. Her heel connected solidly with Gmork's outstretched paw.

The pistol went flying, bouncing off the wall and straight towards Nick. The fox barely got his paws up in time block it before it smacked him in the head. He fumbled with it, barely catching it before it hit the ground.

Meanwhile, Judy was pressing her advantage on her would-be murderer. Landing on her feet, she leapt up again. Spinning with her legs spread, she executed a perfect butterfly kick, hitting the blinded wolf in the head with two powerful, consecutive blows. Gmork was thrown backwards and to the side, his head bouncing off the metal wall with a hollow _thud_ just as he fell out of the ambulance.

Judy landed on her feet with the grace of a gymnast, her ears perked proudly. Then she spotted what was waiting _behind_ the wolf. Ears sagging and eyes widening, she took in the grizzly bear that stood waiting outside the open doors, holding a shotgun pointed squarely at her. Throwing herself down, she shielded her head with her arms.

When the bunny ducked, it revealed what was behind _her._ Nick sat on the floor, Gmork's pistol held in his outstretched paws. He aimed at the bear that killed him, and pulled the trigger.

_**Bang!** _

But Nick had never fired a gun before. Instead of hitting the bear's face, the bullet punched through his arm. The bear's shoulder jerked back, throwing off his aim. The shotgun discharged, shredding the ambulance wall and raining shrapnel down on Nick and Judy.

The pistol kicked harder than Nick expected, throwing his arms over his head and nearly knocking him on his back. He struggled to get the gun back on target, but by the time he did, the bear was gone. His ears twitched as he heard heavy steps moving from outside. It sounded like…

Throwing his head around, his eyes widened as he spotted the bear appear through the shattered windshield.

" _HOLY-!_ " Judy was just raising her head from the floor when Nick dove forward, scooping her up in one arm as he threw them both bodily from the ambulance. The space they just occupied erupted in a storm of glass and lead shot as the bear fired through what remained of the windshield, completely blowing it out.

The big grizzly struggled to cock the shotgun, his injured arm making it difficult. By the time he had stepped around the ambulance and raised the gun, the two smaller animals were already running for it, rabbit ears and fox tail trailing behind them. Still, they weren't too far…

Just before the bear could pull the trigger, Gmork leapt in front of him. Shoving the shotgun to the side with both paws, he snarled at the bear.

"Stop! You'll destroy it!" the wolf shouted up at the miffed grizzly. Glaring fiercely in spite of his bloodshot eyes and runny nose, the dark-furred killer didn't hesitate to snatch the pistol on the bear's hip from its holster. The sidearm was larger than his own, but the wolf still handled it with ease. He turned away, taking off in pursuit of the fleeing rabbit and fox.

The bear began running after the wolf with a groan, dismayed at being forced to run while he had a bullet wound in his arm. Still, it was a better fate than what awaited him if he screwed up under Gmork's command. Just the thought of it made him pick up the pace.

* * *

Author's Note:

Many thanks to my wonderful collaborators : DrummerMax64; Gamer4COD; RandomNobody37; Hebbocake; DragoLord19D; Chesterization; and, most recently, Rieth89!


	9. Flight from Death

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

As Nick fled down the empty tunnel, he found the world curiously quiet.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

His footsteps seemed muffled and far away. Judy was running just ahead of him, shouting into her little radio. He couldn't hear her at all.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

Gmork was chasing them, the terrifying wolf gaining on them, eyes bloodshot from the Fox Away Nick had doused him with. Though, for some reason, that bothered the fox less than whatever was going on with his hearing.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

Something was _wrong._ Missing. But what?

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

They were approaching the mouth of the tunnel. They had been sprinting for nearly a minute. Nick was in excellent shape, having learned to love running from his time on his high school's track team. He ran regularly, not only to keep in shape, but also because being able to rapidly vacate an area was a necessary skill in his morally ambiguous, not to mention legally questionable, line of work.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

His blood should be pumping by now. The familiar rush in his ears was completely absent. His breathing, by comparison, seemed mind-numbingly loud.

_Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

The tunnel finally ended. As they burst into the perpetual downpour of the Rainforest District, the answer dawned. He couldn't hear his blood pumping because it _wasn't._ He'd had his heart obliterated, then replaced with some mysterious abomination.

_Off the witness._

The words struck from his memory so hard he nearly stumbled. Looking over his shoulder, he glanced at the mammals chasing them. The wolf that had ordered his death, with the bear that had carried out his execution running behind.

His _murderers._

"I need backup, _now!_ " The world rushed back, his dark reverie broken by Judy's frantic voice. He turned forward again, eyes glancing at the rabbit as she ran ahead of him. She had pulled a few yards away. She looked over her shoulder, realized the distance between them, and slowed down until she was once again within arm's reach before turning forward. Nick watched her back, eyes wide, stunned to realize that the only reason she hadn't already escaped this nightmare was because _she_ was choosing to stay with _him._

"Two assailants, a wolf and- ahh!" A bullet went whizzing by, only inches away. The duo ducked and tensed, turning to see Gmork with his arm up as he ran, pistol pointed squarely at them. The fox turned forward and lunged, grabbing Judy's arm and dragging her into an alley.

The two kept running, only losing a little momentum from the sudden shift.

" _Judy! Are you still there?!"_ Clawhauser's terrified voice called. Judy raised the little radio again.

"Still here, Ben! We're being pursued by two mammals with firearms! Lethal rounds! I have a civilian with me!" Shouting into the radio, Judy did a fantastic job expressing the gravity of their situation.

" _I need location!_ " The answering shout seemed to stump Judy, the rabbit glancing around at the unfamiliar alley. Nick, however, knew exactly where they were.

"Corner of Boscage and Sunland! Heading towards Shady Place!" he barked. Judy glanced back at him, looking for confirmation. Seeing the absolute surety on his face, the rabbit nodded and turned back to the radio.

"Did you get that?"

" _Got it! Backup en route. Try to hang on!_ "

**Bang!**

A round clipped Judy's ear, sending an agonized jolt through her body. The distraction stuttered her steps, causing her to trip. She went down, barely catching herself in time to keep her head from bouncing off the pavement.

Nick, not remotely prepared for Judy's sudden stop, skid to a halt well ahead of her. Turning around, he saw Gmork lining up another shot. Without a thought, Nick raised his own weapon and opened fire.

Gmork stopped in his tracks, ducking and throwing himself to the side to take cover behind a nearby dumpster. The grizzly bear, who had just entered the alley behind his superior, jumped back out.

After four shots, Nick stopped. Nearly holding his breathe, the fox waited anxiously, watching for any signs of movement.

Judy picked herself off the ground, hurrying to Nick's side. She quickly took in the fox's fearful features: wide eyes, ears pinned back, twitchy gun paw. Best not to startle him.

Reaching out, she gently touched his arm. It took a second, but Nick was eventually able to tear his gaze away from the alley to look down at her. Even though the rabbit's upturned face was a little scrunched up, she was doing her best to appear calm. It reminded Nick that he should at least _try_ to remain calm, too.

"C'mon." She jerked her head towards the end of the alley, then tugged on his sleeve, trying to get him moving again. After a quick glance down the alley revealed that their pursuers were still out of sight, the fox let the rabbit lead him away.

* * *

As the smaller mammals disappeared around the corner, the grizzly stuck his head back into the alley. Seeing the coast was clear, he trotted into the, for him, narrow space.

His boss was sitting on the ground behind the dumpster still, so he made his way over. As he approached, his nose twitched as he picked up something. A deeper breath confirmed it. Blood. Lots of it.

Gmork sat on the ground, one paw clutched around his right inner thigh while his other was digging into a pouch on his side. As the grizzly watched, blood seeped from between the wolf's fingers and poured onto the ground. The bear, a combat veteran, knew immediately that the wolf's femoral artery must have been nicked for that kind of flow.

Gmork yanked a short belt from the pouch. As he wrapped it around his thigh, he glanced at the enormous mammal standing over him. "Fox got a lucky shot. Figures." He grimaced as he pulled the belt tight. The blood pouring from his wound slowed to a trickle. Worrying, but not immediately life-threatening. Not waiting for the bear to respond, he continued, "I can't trust you. Give me your shotgun and your Rush." When the bear hesitated, the wolf glared. "Now."

The bear crouched down, reluctantly placing his shotgun next to the wolf. Then he pulled a simple pen sized cylinder from a vest pocket. Gmork snatched it as soon it was in reach. He pulled one end off, revealing a needle. Holding the pen up to his eyes, he began to carefully twist a small control. "I need you to control yourself, so only a half dose."

The sullen bear suddenly perked up, looking much more intent. When Gmork waved him in, the enormous grizzly leaned forward quickly, obviously eager for whatever was in the syringe.

Without warning, Gmork grabbed him by his fuzzy ear and squeezed. The bear's surprised shout was abruptly cut off before beginning again when the wolf slammed their foreheads together. Gmork held him there, fierce yellow eyes burning into the grizzly's brown.

"Bring me that fox. _Alive._ Your life _depends on it_." The wolf slammed the needle into the bear's neck. He watched the much larger predators pupils shrink and expand, dilating wildly under the drug's effects. When the pupils finally settled into predatory slits, only then did he let go. Shoving the bear's head away, he shouted at the soldier as he settled down on all four limbs.

" _Go!_ _ **Now!**_ " The grizzly took off on all fours with a throaty roar. His speed nearly tripled, he raced after Nick and Judy.

* * *

Nearly a block away, Judy's ears twitched. Turning to look over her shoulder, she eyed the alley uneasily. She raised the radio once again, "Ben, any word on that backup?"

"Sorry, Judy. The traffic lights in your area are down. All the cruisers are stuck in traffic. We have units on foot, but they need more time."

Judy's response died in her throat. Seeing her eyes widen, Nick turned to follow her gaze. What he saw was probably the most frightening thing he had ever seen. The grizzly bear, now down on all fours, was pounding after them at tremendous speed, his face blank and hostile, huge, dagger-like teeth bared in a ferocious snarl.

"...move. Move. Move-move-movemovemove!" Judy reached back and grabbed Nick's paw, using it to drag him after her. The bunny took off at top speed, nearly pulling the fox off his feet. He just managed to keep his footing, pumping his legs as hard and as fast as he could to keep up with the young, athletic bunny. The fox let her lead him while he threw a terrified glance over his shoulder. Without a doubt, the bear was getting closer.

"The bad thing is gaining on us!" he called. Judy looked over her shoulder. Terror gripped her as she realized that Nick was right. They couldn't outrun the bear. Not in a straight line. "We have to get inside!"

"No!" Judy shot down the idea immediately. "There might be people inside. It would put them in danger!"

" _We're in danger!_ " Nick shot back. Seeing the rabbit ignore him, Nick offered a slightly different idea, "We need to go where he can't follow!"

" _Where?!_ " Judy called back angrily. Desperately. Nick looked ahead, trying to match what he was seeing with what he remembered. They were still on Boscage Avenue, heading east towards Shady Place plaza. They were just about to cross a familiar bridge…

"This way!" Pulling her to the left, they crossed the narrow street. They squeezed into a narrow alley, a brick wall on their left, a chain link fence on their right. Nick pulled his free paw from Judy's grip, then used it to shake the fence as they ran. It only took a few seconds to find what he was looking for. "Here!"

It was a hole in the fence, only about a foot high. Still, it was enough for the small mammals. Nick hurried Judy through, then squeezed in after her. They were standing on the edge of a concrete canal, a steep, flat slope giving way to a shallow but fast-moving stream. Nick had just turned to continue leading them away when a racket behind them drew both their attentions.

The bear was squeezing into the alley after them, rattling the fence as he ran. Eyes widening, the duo turned as one and began hurrying down towards the water.

"Where are we going!?" Judy asked as they rapidly approached the river. Behind them, the monstrous grizzly found the hole they had gone through. Trying to force himself through, he was stymied by the hole's size. He pulled his head out and began trying to force the opening wider with his powerful paws.

"Drain pipe. That way!" Nick pointed to their right. Then he jumped into the water. It was only three feet deep, but the current was strong enough that he was forced to swim rather than wade. Judy paused just before she herself would have fell in. She looked to where the fox had pointed. Sure enough, about forty yards away, on the other side of the bridge and on the opposing slope there was a drain pipe. She couldn't gauge the pipe's diameter from this distance, but it sure looked small enough to stump the bear.

Hearing the noise shift behind her, the bunny turned to check on the bear's progress. To her surprise, the bear was no longer trying to tear through the fence. Instead, he was running back the way he came. Judy watched him go, trying to figure out what he was doing. Then it dawned on her.

_He's going for the bridge!_

"Nick!" She turned and began running along the water's edge towards where the fox had been swept along by the current. "Nick! Come back!"

Nick had already crossed the river, pulled along by the water until he was under the bridge. He was pulling himself onto the smooth concrete on the other side when he heard Judy's shout. Spinning around so fast he scattered water droplets everywhere, he saw the rabbit frantically waving her arms. Turning to look where the bear should have been, the fox was confused and dismayed to discover it missing.

Then it landed in the canal, throwing water into the air. Two sets of wide, horrified eyes, one green, one violet, landed on the beast as it thrashed around. By the time it got its bearings and turned towards them, the fox was already running up the slope. The bear gave chase, completely ignoring the rabbit shouting and waving her arms.

Nick was experiencing a new level of fear. Primal in its depth, it reached right into the very core of his being and squeezed, threatening to snuff his very sense of self. He was sprinting up the incline towards where it met the concrete beams supporting the bridge, seeking salvation in the narrow spaces.

But the bear was faster.

It was gaining.

He was going to _die. Torn apart._

_No!_

The bear was on him. Nick was slammed to the ground, the breath forced out of him. A huge paw lay across his back and shoulders, pinning his arms, and the _gun_ , to the concrete. Turning his head as far it would go, Nick laid one terrified, green eye on the bear above him.

The grizzly leaned in, nose inches away from his prey's, and _roared._

" _ **HRAAAAUGH!**_ " As the hot, putrid breath flowed over his face, Nick couldn't look away from the maw of daggers on display above him.

_I'm going to die._

If Nick hadn't been so focused on his impending demise, he would have felt something shift in his chest. His fur began to stand on end as a fuzzy, crackly _something_ sparked into existence, then started to grow into-

But then a blue and grey blur slammed into the side of the bear's head. The bear, temporarily disoriented, lost his footing on the slick incline. As the beast went tumbling into the shallow water, the blur, still mid-air, resolved into a familiar bunny cop, both legs still extended from her powerful double kick. A quick tuck and spin later, Judy landed with all of her usual grace on four paws.

She crawled the short distance to Nick since it was easier than walking on the steep slope. She noticed how puffy he was, but thought nothing of it. If _she_ had been that close to a gruesome death, she thought, her fur might stand on end, too!

Seeing the shellshocked look on his face, she put a paw on his shoulder, not really noticing that his fur fell back into place as she did. "Can you move?"

Nick looked up at his savior in awe. "You saved my life," he said, somewhere between amazed and bewildered. Judy would have said something, but her attention was pulled away when she noticed the grizzly was regaining his feet.

Noticing her shift of focus, Nick turned to look. He immediately started to scramble away, crawling up the gradient with three paws, the gun still held tightly in his fourth.

Judy moved with him, trusting that he had _something_ in mind. As they approached the top of the incline, the rabbit thought she understood. The underside of the bridge was made up of numerous concrete beams, placed narrowly together on a three foot high ledge to support the road above. The spaces between, hopefully, would be narrow enough to escape the bear.

Nick made it to the ledge first. As he clambered up, Judy turned to check on their attacker. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw it was already running up the incline towards them. Spinning around, she put her paws under Nick's feet and shoved upwards, all but throwing him into the narrow space. Then she jumped in after him, clearing the space just as the grizzly slammed into the ledge behind them.

Judy landed just ahead of Nick, who was still in a heap from her sudden, unexpected shove. Reaching down, the bunny grabbed the fox's wrists and started dragging him away from the ledge. The slightly disoriented fox started to get himself together, managing to get one leg under him.

Then a huge, clawed paw wrapped around his foot and _squeezed._ Nick collapsed, screaming from the sudden, intense pain. Judy looked up, horrified. The bear had shoved his head and one arm into the narrow space, his savage, bloodshot eyes locked onto them as he started to drag Nick back out.

Judy let go of Nick's wrists and jumped on the bear's, wrestling with the thick limb. When nothing else worked, desperation took her. Driven by Nick's screaming and the bear's snarling, she pressed her face to the huge fuzzy arm and sank her teeth in as far as they would go.

The bear's snarling ratched up at the unexpected pain. The arm bucked up once, twice, but the rabbit stubbornly held on. Nick was dragged nearly into the air then slammed down, feeling like every bone in his leg had been shattered.

Failing to throw off the rabbit, the bear twisted his arm and slammed it into the wall. If it weren't for the narrow space limiting the strength of the blow, Judy would have been instantly crushed to death. Instead, she was knocked out, the bunny slipping off the arm to fall bonelessly to the ground.

With that annoyance taken care of, the bear dragged the fox closer. Nick, wide-eyed with terror, finally managed to get hold of himself long enough to raise his arm, pointing his stolen pistol directly at the grizzly's face. The bear paused, staring at the barrel. For an instant, everything was completely silent.

Then Nick pulled the trigger.

The first shot was deafeningly loud in the enclosed space, setting Nick's ears ringing. The bear jerked, a splash of red spilling across his forehead.

Nick continued to pull the trigger. The gun spat fire three more times, and the bear twitched with each devastating impact. The last one was the worst, with the bullet striking square on the grizzly's nose. The soft tissue exploded, dotting Nick and most of the tight concrete surroundings with scarlet.

There was a moment that came afterward that would stick with Nick for the rest of his life. The gun was empty, the slide cocked back. The bear was still, his face covered in blood. His eyes though, his eyes were still sharp. They glared at Nick, conveying all of the hatred and contempt and anger they possibly could. Then the moment passed.

Slowly, almost regretfully, the grip around Nick's leg slackened. The grizzly slipped away, disappearing below the ledge.

The fox was left on his back, the still smoking gun held up in one paw. He leaned back, resting his head on the cool concrete while he lowered his arm, shakily dropping the spent firearm on the cement next to him. He closed his eyes, raising his arms to cover his face with his trembling paws. He took a few, shuddering breaths, for the first time really feeling everything. His twisted leg throbbed, his chest felt like it was caved in, and his tail was bunched up under him in the most uncomfortable way.

But, all of that was okay. Because it meant he was alive.

_I'm alive. I thought I was going to die, but then I lived. I'm alive. I'm alive._

His thoughts continued like this for awhile, the fox trying to get over the trauma he had just suffered like he would any other emotional upset.

"What?!" Then Judy woke with a start, sitting up and shouting. Nick's entire body jerked at the unexpected noise, the fox tearing his paws away from his face to glare at the disturbance in surprise. When he saw that it was just the bunny cop, his expression relaxed and he settled back into his previous position, resting with his palms over his eyes. The rabbit, on the other paw, looked around with undisguised terror. "Where's the bear!?"

Nick grunted, slowly dragging one paw from his face to point down, over the ledge. The rabbit looked where he pointed, crawling to the ledge to get a better look. Sure enough, the bear was splayed out at the bottom of the slope, half in the water, head bobbing in the current.

Seeing the awkward position of the body and the gruesome smear of blood running down the concrete shelf, the bunny came to the only conclusion she could. Sitting back on her haunches next to Nick's feet, she asked, "Is he dead?"

Even though it wasn't _really_ a question, Nick answered anyway, his voice slightly strained, "Probably."

His candid reply seemed to confuse the bunny. "How?"

"I shot him. In the face. A lot." Each addendum came out more strained, until his voice was nearly cracking. "I shot him in the face _a lot! I-_ " The fox cut himself off with a strangled sob, slapping his paw over his mouth to muffle the sound. The bunny turned and crawled up so she was by the fox's side, watching with concern as he forced himself to relax with a few harsh breaths. Eventually, he got himself under control. Sliding the paw over his mouth down so that it cupped the back of his neck, he croaked out, "How are you?"

Judy let him change the subject, seeing how the usually cool and collected fox was obviously struggling. Kneeling next to him, she reached a paw to the back of her head, wincing as she found a tender spot. "I'll live. I think."

" _That's_ good," he snarked, though his tone revealed some genuine relief.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll live, I think," he parroted back, though somehow, it seemed darker when he said it. When it seemed like the conversation would die, Judy cast about for something to say. Looking back at the corpse bobbing in the river, she thought she found something worthwhile.

"Thank you for saving my life," she said, softly. It stayed quiet for a while. Just when Judy was going to give up, she noticed the fox's lips quirk into a smile.

"All in a day's work," he said with something resembling his usual smug tone. Judy was confused for a second, then her eyes widened in realization.

"Did… did you just _steal_ my line?" she asked, incredulous. Nick threaded his fingers behind his head, tilting his head down to look at her. It was amazing how smug he could look with bloodshot eyes.

"Yep. Felt good." His smile widened as she put her paws on her hips, tilting her head and glaring.

" _I'm_ the cop. _I_ say 'all in a day's work'!"

Nick shrugged, as though to say 'oh, well!' "Too late. I got to it first."

Judy held a paw out and waggled two fingers in the 'give it here' gesture. "Well, give it back."

Nick gave her a flat look. "That is _not_ how it works. It's like a muffin. I can't give it back once it's gone, can I?"

Judy leaned back, looking thoughtful. "So, what you're saying is… you owe me a muffin."

"What?! No!" Nick spluttered. "That's not even-"

Judy held up a paw, cutting the fox off. "Hush. I'm going to call dispatch and let them know where we are. Then we can talk about that muffin you owe me."

* * *

A few blocks away, a bland looking delivery van pulled up in front of a familiar alley. A black wolf quickly limped out, pulling himself into the passenger seat without comment. A raccoon in an orange safety vest sat behind the wheel. He started driving as soon as the door was closed.

"What's the word? Why haven't I heard anything?" Gmork demanded to know.

"Grizzly's dead. The cop's are moving in. We lost it," was the raccoon's succinct answer.

" _Son of a_ _ **bitch!**_ " Gmork slammed his paw into his window so hard the glass cracked. He took a single, calming breath. "Take me to Ruby. It's time to put on the Suit."

* * *

Author's Note:

Many thanks to my wonderful collaborators : Gamer4COD; RandomNobody37; Hebbocake; DragoLord19D; Chesterization; and Rieth89!

Especially to DrummerMax64 and whichever one of you is 'CIA' on Google+. Y'all did _great._

P.S. My friend Chesterization got in a car accident. You should send a 'Get Well Soon' note in the PMs.


	10. Respite

Chief Bogo stood on the banks of the artificial canal, took one look at the partially submerged bear, then turned to glare down at his most diminutive officer.

" _Explain_ ," he demanded.

Judy did so, standing straight and proud under her boss's heavy gaze. The big bovine remained worryingly silent throughout the report. Once she was done, Bogo considered her for a moment, then turned his gaze to Nick. The fox, a ragged mess of dirty fur wrapped in a raincoat, smiled and waved jauntily at the Chief of Police from where he sat at the top of the concrete slope, guarded on either side by Officers Delgato and Fangmeyer. Bogo snorted, then looked at Fangmeyer.

"Escort Hopps and the fox to the station. Get their reports down on paper, _then_ have a medic look them over." Judy pulled in a breath, ready to object to the delay of Nick's medical care. Bogo speared her with a hostile glance, stopping her short long enough for him to continue. "We need to get all of the details we can while they're still fresh," he explained curtly. Judy closed her mouth, unhappily compliant.

The duo shortly found themselves in the back of a cruiser. With all of the traffic lights in the area still mysteriously out of order, it took nearly an hour to complete what should have been a ten minute drive.

When they did arrive, the two were separated. Nick found himself in an interrogation room. Big mirror; featureless walls; a metal table bolted to the floor and two chairs meant for large animals. He leaned back in his too large chair, waiting patiently. Though he had never been arrested, he had spoken to enough convicts to know that police loved to make you wait.

So it was something of a surprise when the door opened after only a few minutes. A polar bear walked in and sat, slapping a red folder on the table. Then he pulled the file to him and opened it, pointedly ignoring the fox. Nick was just fine with that. It allowed him to study his interrogator.

He was actually kind of small for a male of his species. Other than that, he was unremarkable. White fur. Dark skin visible around his eyes, lips and nose. Brown eyes.

No, Nick didn't learn much about him from his looks. The polar bear's actions, though, spoke volumes. His slumped posture said he didn't want to be there. The way his lip curled, even through his forced blank expression, spoke of resentment. The way he even now was ignoring Nick was a clear sign that he did not consider the fox a victim.

No, Nick was alone with a mammal that thought he was suspect. Still, Nick was okay with that. The fox knew how to handle hostile mammals.

The polar bear closed the file and dropped it. Placing his paws down on the table, the arctic ursine spread his fingers out, black claws visible against the polished metal. Leaning forward with his head tilted down, he gave the fox his best intimidating glower. His jaws opened, a threat on his lips.

"Geez. I'm glad I'm not _you._ " Only to be cut off before he could begin. The fox smirked at him, calm and confident, totally unaffected by the officer's scare tactics. Nick continued, "After a screw up like yours, I don't think I could show my face."

Grizzoli stared, confused by the fox's words and unable to account for how his interrogation technique had not only fallen flat, but was being totally ignored. Nick leaned forward, crossed his arms on the high table and laid his chin on them, never taking his eyes from the much larger mammal's.

"Tell me if this sounds familiar. You are investigating a terrible crime when this _snot-nosed_ rookie _punk_ starts bugging you to let her help. So you send her off on what's _supposed_ to be a wild goose chase. But, not only does she find the _only_ witness, she then heroically saves him from an ambush by mercenaries with _actual_ guns. Golly, that's the kind of action commendations are made of, maybe even a _medal._ Talk about a _missed opportunity_." Grizzoli sat back in his seat as Nick continued to heap on the humiliation. The polar bear's expression darkened as he realized what the fox was talking about. "All of this on her first case, too. That bunny's going to shoot up that career ladder for sure, now. I wonder what's going to happen to the guy that sent her out alone, without resources or backup. Might be a long time before _his_ next promotion." There was so much _smug_ on the fox's face that he had to squint to make room for it all.

Grizzoli glared at the tod, teeth grinding together. "That bunny tell you all of this?"

Nick sat up, his expression stormy. " _That bunny_ has a name. It's Officer Judy Hopps," he snapped. Then his smug grin was back, the change so quick it left Grizzoli questioning if he had really seen it. "And no, Officer Hopps didn't tell me any of that. _You_ did. You're so easy to read you might as well be Dr. Seuss."

Grizzoli slammed his paw on the table, his patience at its limit. "You _little shit-!_ "

* * *

Judy checked her statement for any mistakes. Finding none, she gave a little nod and signed the line at the bottom. Then she slid it across the table to Officer Johnson. The lion took it and began to skim it, the lion's eyebrows almost rising into his mane as he continued to read. "Damn."

"Yeah," Judy agreed wholeheartedly. Johnson finished and signed the space below Judy's.

"You're good to go," he said as he slipped the statement into a green folder. Then he stood, but turned to face Judy. "Make sure to visit the infirmary. Don't need you dropping dead from a hematoma," he said so flatly that Judy wasn't sure what to make of it. The lion turned and left.

"...yeah, thanks," Judy said to the empty room. She hopped down from her seat and walked out of the interview room. She came out into a hallway with three other doors. A glance around showed the doors were all open and the lights were out.

"...huh." Where was Nick? The talkative fox should have taken a _lot_ longer to give his statement. Maybe he finished and was already in the infirmary? She turned and made her way through the station. She was halfway there before she remembered that the fox mentioned something while they were in the cruiser. He hadn't had anything to eat since this all began. The fox must be _starving._ He would definitely appreciate some food. Now the question was: Where could she find good food at ZPD HQ?

The answer was so obvious she nearly rolled her eyes. Turning on her heel, she made her way to Clawhauser's desk.

Two turns and a flight of stairs later, the bunny was in reception. As Judy walked up to the desk, she could see the chubby cheetah was engrossed in his phone.

"Hey, Ben!" Judy's cheerful greeting jerked the feline into awareness. The big cat stood so quickly that his office chair rolled into the wall with an audible thud. Then he was leaning so far over the desk he was practically perched on it.

"JUDY! Oh, bunny, you had me so worried! What happened? Are you okay?" The big cat fawning over her like she was his favorite little sister was a little embarrassing, but Judy loved it. Despite her choice to move away from her own, family was still very important to her. Having a big brother was comforting.

"I'm fine, promise," Judy started, smiling up at the slightly too close face. "I found a witness to the dock murders. We were ambushed on the way to the hospital. I'll tell you all about it later, okay? But first, I need to ask a favor."

"Oh, sure! Anything you need." Clawhauser smiled and leaned back, holding his clenched paws to his chest and fairly vibrating with his enthusiasm. Judy smiled at how… adorable the portly officer could be.

"The witness, uh, is a fox. He hasn't eaten anything in two days. I was going to bring him something to eat in the infirmary. Could I maybe…?" She trailed off, gesturing vaguely with her paws. Clawhauser beamed, happy to help with such a thoughtful task.

"I have some donuts leftover from this morning," he supplied, then immediately turned and bent down. When he stood again, he had a plain white box held in his paws. The cheetah leaned forward to hand the box to Judy, but pulled back halfway through the motion. The rabbit was confused to note the cheetah also looked confused. "Wait, the fox? Red fur, green eyes?"

"Yeah…?" Judy asked slowly, a sinking feeling in her gut.

"He's not in the infirmary. They still have him down in Interrogation."

The sinking in her gut reversed suddenly, her stomach feeling like it just flipped.

"I gotta go!" She was moving before she finished the first syllable and was almost out of sight by the last.

Clawhauser watched her disappear, befuddled. "You forgot your donuts."

* * *

Judy tore through the station, reaching the hallway with the interrogation rooms in under thirty seconds. There were four rooms, but Judy didn't have to guess which one. She followed the sound of raised voices. Each room had two doors, one leading to the viewing area and the other to the actual interrogation chamber. As Judy rushed past the viewing door, she guessed there had to be at least four people inside, speaking excitedly. A running leap carried her to the too-high door handle. With a tug and a shove, she was in the room.

Grizzoli was standing over the table, Nick pinned to the smooth metal under one huge paw. The polar bear was leaning down, nearly nose to nose with the fox while he shouted, "-listen here, you little creep! I'm not going to put up with-"

"What is going on here!?" Judy's outraged demand caught the bear out. Nick and Grizzoli turned their heads to stare. In any other circumstance, Judy would have thought their identical looks of surprise would have been comical. Just then, she was too boiling mad to notice.

Nick recovered his wits first. His smug grin returned. "Well, if it isn't Officer 'Witness at My Police Brutality Lawsuit Hearing'. How ya been?"

Grizzoli's head whipped back to Nick, a fearsome snarl on his lips. Nick wasn't quite able to hide his cringe as the bear bared his teeth again. "Shut up, you fuc-"

" _Griz-_ _ **zoli!**_ " Judy shouted, regaining her superior's attention. The bunny pointed to the door. "Get out."

Standing to his full height, which also drug Nick up until only the back of his thighs still rested on the table, the veteran cop stared at his very much junior colleague. He was almost unable to process the thought of a rookie telling him what to do. Surprise gave way to rage, the bear's face twisting into a look of fury and disgust. "Bunny, you better get out before you get _stepped on._ "

The threat fell flat. "That's the _second_ time today you've threatened me in front of witnesses. Whether I report that to Bogo or Internal Affairs depends on you leaving in the next five seconds. Five!"

The polar bear stared, flabbergasted by the nerve of the bunny. Nick also stared, still hanging from the big cop's grip, transfixed for entirely different reasons.

"Four!"

"You can't be serious."

" _Try me._ Three!"

"This is blackmail. I'll have your badge."

"Then I'll see you in front of the Police Conduct Oversight Committee. Two!"

The rabbit and the bear glared at one another, locked in a battle of wills. Judy raised her chin, daring the large predator to cross her. Her lips pursed slowly, ready to finish the count.

Grizzoli released Nick with a flick of his wrist, throwing the fox to the table hard enough to drive the air from his lungs. Leaving the smaller predator to cough and wheeze, the bear stomped out of the room. Judy held her ground as he passed, even as he deliberately brought one foot down close enough for his pant leg to brush the fur on her cheek. The door shut hard enough to shake the frame.

Judy let out a little sigh, then moved forward. Bounding first onto the chair, then the table, she came to a halt by Nick's head. Leaning over, she looked down at his face, noting just how pained and deep his coughing was.

"You okay, Slick?" she asked, genuinely concerned. After a couple more coughs, Nick felt like he had enough breath to speak. He cleared his throat, relaxing back on the table. He smiled up at the bunny standing over him, the overhead lights casting a halo around her downturned face.

"That's twice today you saved me from a mean ol' bear. Could you stop? If I keep being the damsel in distress I'm going to start my period." Judy rolled her eyes at the fox's sense of humor. She sat cross legged by his head, her chin resting on her paws and her elbows on her knees. Nick continued as she got comfortable. "And, trust me, nobody wants to see that. If you think I'm aggravating now, BRRR!" The fox's entire body shivered, the fur on his tail puffing out, "Wait until you see the mood swings!"

"I can't even imagine," Judy said wryly. "Worse than now? _Impossible._ "

Nick turned his head enough so he could catch Judy's eye. He was pleased to note she was smiling. He winked at her, then relaxed onto his back again. He closed his eyes, his smile just a little sad. "Take it from a fox raised on the streets, Officer Fluff. Things can always get worse."

"Well…" Judy stared at the fox, a little put off by his sudden shift. Talk about mood swings! "You're right about things getting worse." She leaned over, grabbing the red folder Grizzoli left on the table. Sitting up straight, she made sure Nick's eyes were on her. She wiggled the file in his direction. "It's time for paperwork."

* * *

After getting his statement, Judy helped Nick to the infirmary. Helped, not escorted. The fox claimed to be fine, right up until he tried to get down from the table. His right leg collapsed underneath him, leaving him on the floor, gasping in pain. Obviously, the grizzly bear's attack did more damage than they thought. Judy helped the fox up, then put his paw on her shoulder, supporting him across the station. The bunny was disgusted to note several other officers saw them, then turned away, content to let the fox limp along, with only a rabbit that was almost too short for the task for help.

While she was dropping him off, Judy explained she had to return the file and check on a few things. After promising to return, she disappeared into the station.

Nick was left alone with the medic, a kindly but no-nonsense white-tailed deer in her fifties and white scrubs by the name of Arlea Andes. After hearing Nick politely explain that _no_ , he was _not_ going to take off his raincoat, she rolled her eyes and gave him a quick checkup. Then she examined his injured leg. After proclaiming no bones were broken, she made him lay down on the examination table, propped the injured ankle up with a pillow, and plopped an ice-cold gel pack on it.

"That's all I can do here. If you want a proper brace, or something for the swelling, you need to go to a hospital." She stood next to Nick, her arms crossed comfortably while she peered down at him. Raising one arm, she tapped a hoof-tipped finger on her cheek. It only took Nick an instant to realize she was staring at his chest.

Nope. He was _not_ going through this again. He crossed his arms, shoulders hunched defensively. "No, you can't look at it."

Andes perked a brow, shifting her gaze to the fox's face. He glared, trying to make it absolutely clear that he wouldn't budge. The white-tail smiled patiently. "It? What 'It', exactly?"

Nick opened his mouth, no doubt to say something snide, when the door opened. The fox and the deer turned to look. A white box walked in, a pair of fuzzy, black-tipped ears sticking up from behind. Nick quirked an eyebrow at the odd sight, then smirked when he figured out what it was.

The box turned to the right, revealing Judy, who also had a plastic bag hanging from her elbow. She smiled when she saw them, buck teeth prominently on display. "Hey, guys!"

"Hey, yourself," Nick greeted casually as Judy walked over. "Whadja bring me, Carrots? OW!" Nick rubbed his ear after Andes flicked it with a hoof-tipped finger. He glared up at the medic, who glared right back.

"None of that, buster! I won't tolerate intolerance!"

"It's just joke! No need to get physical. Fluff, you know I don't mean noth- Stop it!" Nick's attempt to get Judy's help was interrupted by Andes reaching out to flick his other ear. The fox batted her arm away with one paw, covering his sensitive ears with the other.

Judy smirked at the sight, her voice decidedly smug as she placed the box on a nearby chair. "Serves you right. About time someone did something about that tongue of yours."

"Hey! Don't knock the fox tongue 'til you've tried- Woman, you better not!" Nick flailed his arm, deflecting another attempt at his ears.

Judy laughed at the fox's discomfort. Still giggling, she walked up to the deer and tapped her on the knee. When she looked down, Judy gave her a playful smile. "Thanks, doc. I think I can handle him from here."

"Alright. I'll be at my desk. Right _over there,_ " she said, glancing warningly at Nick. The fox stuck his tongue out at her. The deer rolled her eyes, but retreated.

Judy watched her take the few steps across the office to her computer terminal, then turned back to Nick. "So, it turns out you peeve off _everyone_ you meet. Here I thought we had something special."

"Nu-uh, no. That last one was _your_ fault. She was nice until _you_ showed up!" Nick shot back, fairly annoyed. He rubbed his ear. "Still stings."

"Here, maybe this will cheer you up." Judy took the plastic sack off of her arm and tossed it up to Nick. The fox caught it, then placed it on his stomach. He looked down at Judy as he started fishing through the bag, quirking his brow curiously.

"You look like a deviant going around in a raincoat and dirty boxers, so I found you a change of clothes!" she said brightly.

Nick smiled confusedly, a little flummoxed by the rabbit's thoughtfulness. Turning back to the bag, his ears perked forward as he pulled out the first article. "Gee, Hopps. Thanks…" The fox trailed off in disbelief as he saw the article hanging from his paw. It could only be described as neon pink. Swallowing, his ears fell back as he held up the T-shirt between his paws. 'This LITTLE GIRL is going to be a POLICE WOMAN someday!' was blazoned across the front in bold, glittered letters with 'LITTLE GIRL' and 'POLICE WOMAN' in especially large print.

Seeing the fox's dismay, Judy tried to explain. "It's a leftover from our last fundraiser. I'm sorry, it's the only thing in your size…"

Seeing the doe start to fret, her ears falling limp behind her, Nick slipped on an easygoing smile. "Hey, don't worry. I get it, this is a police station, not a mall. I'm just worried is all."

Judy paused, head tilted in an adorably confused manner. "Worried? About what?"

"Why, my virtue, of course! How will I _ever_ maintain my chastity wearing this surrounded by so many _big,_ _strapping_ cops," he said, batting his eyes at her and bunching the shirt to his chest in a show of faux modesty.

Judy gave a very unladylike snort, covering her mouth with a paw to stifle a chuckle. "Hm. Don't worry! I'll defend your honor from the _ravaging police horde._ "

"Oh! My heroic knight in tight spandex." Nick held an arm over his eyes and swung his head, faking a swoon.

Judy shook her head and rolled her eyes at the fox's hamming. "Speaking of cops…" Judy went to the chair that held the white box she had brought. She pushed the chair so it was next to the examination table. Then she hopped onto the seat, picked up the box and presented it to the curious fox. "I brought donuts!"

"Really? Score!" Nick smiled and leaned up on one elbow to take the box. Pushing the pink shirt and sack to the side, he placed the box on his lap. Opening the box revealed four donuts inside. The fox snatched out one of the glazed treats and immediately started chowing down.

Judy watched him eat. This was easily the closest she had been to a predator while they ate. Violet eyes stared, fascinated by how rows of sharp teeth shredded the pastry.

Nick was nearly done with the first donut before he realized he had an audience. Glancing at the bunny out of the corner of his eye, he took in her focused gaze. He was interested to note that rather than scared, she seemed… captivated?

The fox decided to try something. He stuck his tongue out, then slowly, deliberately, licked his chops. Delight was too tame a word to describe what he felt as he watched the bunny lock on to the movement, beautiful amethyst eyes following the pink muscle as it passed over his sharp teeth and smooth lips with true intensity, her little pink nose twitching all the while.

_She just checked me out!_

Clearing his throat to cover how his were lips trying to twitch into a smile, he grabbed the box and held it out to the doe. "Donut?"

Spell broken, Judy jerked out of her daze and looked at the offering. "No, I really-" Her denial was interrupted by her stomach growling. Ears falling back in embarrassment, she bashfully lowered her head. A shy glance up at Nick showed her a grinning tod. "Maybe just one…"

After she took one of the remaining three, Nick put the box back on his lap. Stuffing the remaining bit of the first donut in his mouth, he took another. Leaning back with a sigh, he held the second donut up to admire it. "Hopps, you are officially my hero."

Judy looked up from her own treat, which was already halfway gone. Quite a feat, considering it was large enough for her to stick her arm through the hole in the middle. Swallowing, she smiled at the fox even though he was too busy eating to notice. "All in a day's work for a heroic knight in tight spandex."

* * *

 ** _AN:_** Two things on the agenda today. First my usual shoutout to my collaborators: Chesterization, DrummerMax64, Rieth89, RandomNobody37, DragoLord19D, and Hebbocake.

 


	11. A Greasy Surprise

Nick was alone in the darkened infirmary, Judy and Dr. Andes having gone hours ago. The fox lay back on the examination table, the large bench more than adequate for the short and slender fox. His eyes were closed, but the vulpine was not resting.

"-eep. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Sl-" Nick chanted, banging the back of his head on the pad rhythmically. His brow scrunched in aggravation, he banged his head harder, an audible thump echoing in the office. "Haaa _aaa_ _ **aagh!**_ " The fox let out a long, aggravated sigh. He scrubbed at his eyes with both paws, before turning his head just enough to glimpse the electric clock that sat on the desk.

**4:03 AM**

" _Dam-miiiit_ ," the fox whined. He covered his eyes with his paws again. Giving up on the idea of sleep with another sigh, he pushed himself into a sitting position. He let his feet dangle off the side of the exam table while he slouched forward, his paws on the edge the only thing keeping him from tipping forward onto the tile floor. He stared blankly around at the room, looking just for the sake of something to do.

Then his eyes fell on the clock again.

**4:04 AM**

"This is _bullshit,_ " he moaned aloud. He was _so tired_. So, why couldn't he _sleep?!_ Was it so much to ask? To just sleep off everything that had happened like he had so many times before?

_Well, apparently!_

He rubbed his aching eyes, cursing himself and everything else for his sudden bout of insomnia. This wasn't like him. He'd slept just fine after bad days before. Well, maybe not as bad as this, but being beaten senseless by polar bears then dangled over Mr. Big's icy river access while the shrew threatened him to never return had not been a walk in the park either. THAT incident didn't keep him awake, quite the opposite! The fox had returned to his dank little apartment and slept for most of a week!

Silently lamenting the cruelties of life, Nick dropped the paw from his face. He glanced around again, mostly so he wouldn't have to keep looking at the clock. This time, his gaze caught on the plastic bag with the clothes Judy left him. Heaving another sigh, he leaned over and grabbed the bag. Big police stations had showers, right?

He climbed down from the table, careful of his still swollen ankle. He limped over to the door and pulled it open. Two rhinos in full tactical gear stood on the other side. They both turned to look down at him.

"Hey, fellas," Nick croaked. He swallowed, looking up at the decidedly unfriendly faces. "Mind escorting me to the locker room?"

The two glanced at each other, then looked back to Nick, both wearing flat looks. The one on the left answered. "Yeah. We mind."

The rhino tried to push the fox back into the room, but Nick ducked under the huge fist. Popping back up, he glared up at his guards. "I'm too tired to pretend to be charming, so let's skip straight to the ultimatum. Either you take me to the showers or I'm going to stand behind this door and sing The Song That Never Ends until we _all_ lose our minds!"

The rhinos stared at the fox. Nick stared back, daring them to call his bluff. Finally, the rhino on the left rolled his eyes. Straightening, he turned away and grabbed his radio. "Chief, you there?"

" _What is it?_ " Bogo's deep voice replied.

"The fox wants to use the showers."

" _Now? He's awake?_ "

"Yes, sir."

There was a beat of silence, then, " _Let him get cleaned up. Then bring him to my office._ "

* * *

After a nice, hot shower, Nick felt less like a zombie. Still, he knew he wasn't at his best, which made him worry about his impending meeting with the Chief of Police. The fox stood outside of the huge office door, wearing the sweatpants and pink t-shirt Judy had left him. The two rhino guards stood to either side of him. The One on the Left, as Nick was beginning to think of him, knocked.

"Send him in," came Bogo's baritone. The rhino opened the door and waved Nick through. The door closed behind him, leaving the fox alone with the imposing cape buffalo. As he limped to one of the too-big seats in front of the desk, he felt the bovine's eyes on him. "What on earth are you wearing?"

Nick looked down at the ridiculous pink shirt, his usual easy going smile spreading across his lips. "It's a gift from Officer Hopps. I think it looks good. The color really compliments my fur, don't you think?" Nick smiled saucily Bogo's way, but was disappointed to see the bull didn't look the least bit uncomfortable. He was hoping to get a least a _little_ bit of a rise out of Judy's boss!

"I wouldn't know," was the flat reply. "Mr. Wilde. Please take a seat. There are a few things I need to discuss with you."

Nick pulled himself into the high chair, a little annoyed to find it much more difficult than he expected. His strength had been sapped by this ordeal, apparently. As he was settling himself in, there was a question he wanted to ask.

"Are you a Terminator?" he asked frankly.

Bogo paused as he tried to process the bizarre question. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well, you're a big buff guy and you don't sleep. So, Terminator. Are you here from the future to kill me?" Nick continued, keeping a straight face through dint of ceaseless practice.

Bogo sighed, taking his reading glasses off with one hoof so he could rub his eyes with the other. "As an Officer of the Law," Nick could actually _hear_ capital letters, "it behooves me to keep as fit as possible. It helps me do my job. As for not sleeping…" he tucked his glasses into his shirt pocket, giving Nick a stern look. "That is just one of the sacrifices I make for this job. May we discuss something else?"

Nick knew he wasn't going to get any more fun. He wordlessly waved a paw, gesturing for Bogo to continue.

"Thank you." The burly bison took in a deep breath. "I understand that there was an altercation between you and one of my officers-"

"Ah-ah!" Nick interrupted. Once he had Bogo's attention, the fox continued. "'Altercation' implies two sides to a conflict. 'Altercation' also implies words rather than force. _Both_ of those are untrue. _I_ did not raise my voice. _I_ did not insult. _I_ did not threaten. No," Nick's half lidded eyes bored into Bogo's. " _Your_ officer shouted. _Your_ officer used invective. _Your officer-"_ Nick jabbed two fingers at Bogo, then tapped them on his own chest, "slammed _me_ on a metal table! So, _no_ , if you would use 'altercation' to describe what happened, you _do not_ understand." Nick sat back with a glare, arms crossed as he finished his rant.

Bogo sat silently for a moment. He gathered all of his self-control, knowing he had to tread carefully. He had dealt with possible lawsuits before. Most could be swept under the rug, as they had no evidence to support them. This was different. Judy Hopps was a witness. Bogo was no fool. He knew she would only tell the truth if she was called to testify. He wouldn't even be able to discredit her, as she still had support from the Mayor's Office. If she did speak in court, it could even come out how she had been treated by her fellow officers, including her boss. Mammal's Rights groups from around the globe would rise up to protest what they would see as the oppression of a small mammal by large ones. It didn't help that Judy was an attractive young female with a winning personality. The perfect poster child for anti-oppression agendas everywhere. Such a scandal could cost Bogo his job.

No, it was not just mercenaries with guns in his city that had kept him up this night.

"Mr. Wilde, on behalf of Officer Grizzoli-"

"Stop." Nick interrupted again. The fox was amused to note a muscle in Bogo's cheek twitch. "I don't want to hear your fake apology for some crooked cop who would spit on me soon as look at me. I know how bad this is for you and I know what you want." Nick smirked at Bogo, an expression that made the buffalo want nothing more than to wipe the smug of the fox's face. "You want me to shut up? Then incentivize me."

Bogo's face was a stone mask. "Mr. Wilde, are you suggesting a bribe?"

An amused cough rose from Nick's chest. "Ha! Nice try, _Uncle Bob_. If you want to pin me for extortion, you're going to have to try harder than that. No," the fox said with shake of his head, "I just want what you are already obliged to give me. Police protection."

Bogo squinted his eyes at the fox. No way it was that easy.

Taking the bull's hostile stare as permission to continue, Nick laid out his demands. "I want Officer Hopps, specifically. Not just as a guard, but as my intermediary. I don't want to speak to anyone from your department but her. I also never want to see Officer _Assholi_ again. Meet these two requests or my time as a helpful witness will be… _Terminated._ " Nick's self satisfied smile could have moved a _monk_ to violence. Bogo, thankfully, had more self control.

The buffalo sat quietly, instead. Though his gaze didn't waver, his mind was carefully chewing through all of the pros and cons of doing as the fox asked. When he finished, he thought he might actually come out of this ahead. Hopps would be kept away from the _real_ police work doing a task that she would think is important. Grizzoli would have to be taken off the case, but after how he embarrassed the department, that was probably for the best. As long as _nothing else_ went wrong, this could all work out.

"Very well, Mr. Wilde. In light of what's happened, your requests are easily granted. Is there anything else?"

"Uh, no. If I think think of anything though, _I'll be back,_ " Nick grinned, looking even more pleased with himself, if that were possible.

Bogo's eye twitched. Then he plastered on the fakest, most strained smile the fox had ever seen. The bovine Chief of Police held up a hoof towards the door. "If that is all?"

Nick took a moment to enjoy how uncomfortable the huge Cape buffalo was while under his sway. However, the street savvy fox knew when to cut and run. "For now."

The tod carefully slid from his chair and limped to the door. Just as he reached out to knock, Nick turned back to Bogo, "You know, there is one more thing."

The burly cop barely withheld a groan. "Yes?"

Nick rapped his knuckles on the door. As the rhino guard opened it, the fox locked eyes with Bogo and wore his best shit eating grin. " _Hasta la Vista, Baby!_ "

* * *

A couple hours later, Judy stopped by the infirmary while on her way to the Bullpen for morning briefing. She was carrying a large brown paper bag in one paw and a plastic sack in the other.

"Good morning McHorn. Rhinowitz," she greeted cheerfully. McHorn managed a dull grunt in reply, while Rhinowitz ignored her completely. Passing the two guards, she let herself in.

Nick was lounging on the exam table, right where she left him. Judy noticed he was wearing the clothes she managed to scrounge up for him yesterday. His fur looked cleaner, too. The fox perked up as she walked in, sitting up and letting his legs dangle over the edge of the bench. He smiled just big enough to show a flash of pearly white. "Well, if it isn't the Wonder Bunny. Bring me something?" Green eyes fell to the bags, staring curiously.

Judy smiled in reply, hefting the bags for inspection. "Sure did!"

Nick rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh of mock disgust. "Rabbit, you need to stop being so nice. It makes me look bad by comparison."

Judy lowered the bags and raised a brow. "Don't worry about that. You don't need _my help_ to look bad."

Nick shot her a little glare, still smiling. "Sly bunny."

"Dumb fox."

"Enough!" A voice called out from behind Judy. Shocked, the little cop jumped into the air. She landed facing toward the observer. It was a peeved looking Doctor Andes.

"SHIItake _mushrooms,_ Arlea! You scared me," Judy told the deer, holding the paw that held the plastic sack to her chest. Behind her, unnoticed, Nick snickered at the bunny's reaction.

Doctor Andes glared at the rabbit officer, her face far from amused. "No flirting in my office. If _I'm_ not allowed to get it on in here, then you aren't either!"

Surprise turned to mortification. "Flirting? G-Getting it on?! We weren't- I wasn't- What?!" The little bunny spluttered. Behind her, Nick wrapped his muzzle with both paws, shoulders shaking with barely suppressed laughter. When Andes' gaze locked on him like a turret, the fox snorted, eyes watering with mirth.

Judy spun to face him as well. Seeing the outraged little bunny's adorably scrunched up face was too much. The fox broke down in helpless laughter.

Judy puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, not realizing that it only made her cuter. Her cross exclamation of " _What_ is _so funny?!_ " just made Nick laugh harder. The reynard actually tilted over onto his side, curling into a ball and clutching his chest as he wheezed.

"HAHA-GAH!" Nick coughed and gasped, "OH! HAHAW-OH! It hurts- HA!- to laugh- PFF! Your _face!_ HAH! Oh, that still hurts. Hm!" Nick raised his head to look at the bunny cop. She was still glaring, though now her hip was cocked, one foot thumping furiously. It was only his sharply aching chest that kept him from lapsing into another fit. Instead, he smiled at her and waggled his eyebrows. "Well! While _I_ don't need help to look bad, it's good to know all _you_ need is a little nudge."

The tapping came to a halt. Then the bunny started to walk forward. Ears perked forward, Nick watched as she approached his bench. Then she crouched and jumped.

Nick flinched away as Judy came to a graceful stop next to him on the exam table. The fox curled into a defensive ball, arms over his head. "Mercy!" he cried, "I'm just a poor fox in a strange land! I meant no offense!"

Judy rolled her eyes at the fox's pleading. It was good acting, but he sounded like something out of A Knight's Tail. Dropping the plastic sack, she took the brown paper bag in both paws. She turned her head to watch the fox, face tilted curiously. Then she pulled the bag open.

At first, nothing happened. Nick kept right on like she was about to savage him. "-from a poor family! Let me work as your humble…" he trailed off, then raised his arms from over his head. Nick's nose bobbed and twitched, sniffing curiously. Judy would never admit just how cute she thought it was.

The fox bolted upright, nearly coming nose to nose with a startled Judy. Then his wide eyed gaze fell to the bag in her paws. The bunny skipped back, deftly avoiding his swipe. Nick looked up to find deeply amused amethyst eyes looking back at him. The fox swallowed and looked away, feigning nonchalance. "So, Officer Hopps. W-Whatcha got there?"

Eyes half lidded, Judy grinned, looking very much like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. Speaking of birds, "Oh? You don't know? I thought you would be able to smell _this..._ " she reached into the bag, pulling out a package roughly the size of her head wrapped in greasy white paper, " _Big…_ " she started to pull the paper away, " _Juicy…_ " Nick focused his green eyes on the package with laser like intensity, all pretense gone, " _Deep Fried…_ " the wrapper fell away, revealing the glorious prize within, " _Chicken Sandwich._ "

Judy held the greasy snack up so Nick could see. She bobbed the slab of golden fried chicken breast wrapped in a bun back and forth, nearly laughing aloud as the fox's riveted eyes bobbed in sync. "But, you know…" she continued her teasing, "It was kind of expensive. I'd hate to waste it on an _ungrateful_ fox." The words got Nick's attention, gaze sliding from the sandwich to Judy. She lofted a brow at him, telling him without words _exactly_ what she wanted.

Nick spent about two seconds thinking it over, eyes shifting from Judy to the sandwich and back once, twice, three times. Then he set his jaw, screwed up his courage and… threw himself at Judy's feet. "Oh, beautiful benevolent bunny! Forgive this sinner his past transgressions and bestow upon him your divine favor!" The fox said, his face pressed to the bench.

Judy peered down at the groveling vulpine with eyes wide and eyebrows raised high.

_When the fossa behind the register said predators would worship me if I gave them one of these things, I thought she was exaggerating._

When it seemed Nick would go on, Judy crouched down and tapped him on the shoulder. As he looked up, she held the sandwich out and said, "Here. Take this before you hurt yourself."

No further words were necessary. The fox snatched the treat and sat cross legged in almost the same motion. After the first big bite, his eyes rolled back in pleasure and he moaned. "Oh my _god_ ," he muttered through a mouth full of buttered roll and fried meat.

Dr. Andes stood abruptly and left the room, muttering something about coffee. Judy watched her go, confused. Nick noticed as well.

"That was kind of… sudden," Judy noted.

Nick looked down at his snack, chewing thoughtfully. He swallowed, then explained, " A lot of prey can't handle preds eating meat. I'm actually surprised _you_ aren't freaking out. Usually it's the small ones that flip."

Judy glared, clearly taking offense. "Well, I'm not like any _small one_ you've ever met!"

Nick chuckled through his latest mouthful. "Ain't that the truth."

* * *

A few minutes later, Judy sat at her usual place at the front of the room at Morning Briefing. Bogo was where _he_ usually was, standing at the podium giving out assignments.

"Trunkaby, Francine! You will relieve McHorn and Rhinowitz." A few jibes and shouts rang out about the officers being 'babysitters'. "Alright, Alright! Shut it!" Bogo quickly took back control, then continued. "Fangmeyer will be taking lead on the Pier 81 Murders."

The sound of Grizzoli choking off an objection came from somewhere behind and to the right of Judy. Bogo's answering glower, brief though it was, could have frozen Sahara Square.

"Grizzoli. Hopps. My office. Everyone else, dismissed."

* * *

Judy stood quietly by the door to Bogo's office. She tried not to eavesdrop, but it was hard not to when the buffalo was shouting loud enough to rattle the glass.

" _You got sloppy! Now_ _I_ _have to deal with_ _your_ _mess! You're lucky he isn't pressing charges!_ " There was a much softer reply, one Judy couldn't quite catch over the ringing in her ears. " _I don't give a damn! You think you're above the rules because you've been here awhile?! Let me disabuse you! Three days suspension! Without pay! Get out!_ "

Even though she wasn't in the way, Judy still took a step back when Grizzoli stepped out. Judy looked away, uncomfortable with how she had heard her superior's thorough tongue lashing. Grizzoli, for his part, set his jaw and walked away, doing his best to ignore the bunny entirely. For that, at least, Judy was grateful.

"HOPPS! GET IN HERE!" Bogo's voice was much louder when it wasn't being filtered through a door. Flinching in surprise, Judy raced into the office to stand before Bogo's desk. She stood at rigid attention: shoulders back; arms and legs and ears and spine ramrod straight.

Bogo rolled his eyes at the nervous officer. "At ease Hopps. You're not in trouble."

Judy relaxed. A little. She was far from friendly with the Chief and didn't exactly feel comfortable around him.

Bogo continued without waiting for a reply. "You are being assigned to an unusual post. One usually only assigned to those trained to handle mammals with immense wealth or political clout. You are going to be a Department Liaison."

"Liaison?" Judy's brows scrunched together in confusion. "Isn't that a civilian post?"

"In most circumstances, yes. This time, however, you were requested personally."

Now Judy was _really_ confused. "Why? By _who?_ "

Bogo let out a longsuffering sigh. "Nicholas Wilde."

Judy wasn't just confused anymore, she was flabbergasted. "How? He's a street hustler! He doesn't have wealth or- or clout! Why-" The figurative light bulb lit over Judy's head, stopping her cold. "Grizzoli."

"Yes. _Grizzoli._ " Bogo could growl pretty well for a prey. "His actions have put us in a bad spot. As part of our... _reparations_ to Mr. Wilde, you have been made his Liaison. It seems he doesn't trust anyone else."

Judy wasn't sure how to feel about that. Before she could figure out a response, the telephone on the desk beeped. Clawhauser's panicked voice immediately rang out. " _CHIEF! TROUBLE!_ "

Bogo immediately jabbed a button. "What _now_?!"

" _Two guys from the ZBI are here! Well, a male and a female, so I guess-_ "

"Clawhuaser! Focus! What do they want?"

" _They're here about Pier 81!_ "

Bogo's face screwed up like he smelled something vile. "Show them to a conference room and let them know I'll be right there."

" _I tried!_ " was Clawhauser's harried reply. " _They ignored me! They're already on the way up!_ "

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!** _

Bogo and Judy turned to look at the door. Judy was caught between curious and concerned, while Bogo just looked irritated.

Judy actually heard knuckles pop as Bogo's hooves clenched. "Come in!"

The door opened, revealing two mammals in suits. To Judy's shock, the first was a rabbit. Only slightly taller than her, his fur was a much lighter shade of gray. He had dark stripes on his cheeks and ears and perhaps the most striking blue eyes Judy had ever seen.

His partner was a short and slender canid with red fur and brown eyes clutching a binder to her chest. At first, Judy thought she was a fox. However, she immediately threw out that assumption. The ears were too small and the snout was all wrong. Some kind of wolf? If she was, it was a type Judy had never seen before.

The rabbit strode into the room, hands in his trouser pockets, looking bored and a little put out. The she-wolf(?) followed close behind. The buck took up the spot next to Judy without so much as a glance in her direction. No, he only had eyes for her boss. "Police Chief Bogo. Agents Jack Savage and Ruby Roughpaw. I understand you have had a few incidents relating to the deaths at Pier 81. I'd like to talk to you about that."

* * *

AN: My usual shoutout to my collaborators: Chesterization, DrummerMax64, Rieth89, RandomNobody37, DragoLord19D, and Hebbocake.


	12. Three Threads Twining

Judy stood awkwardly, gaze rapidly switching from Bogo to the audacious buck that had invaded his office. Bogo glared at the striped rabbit for several seconds, visibly pulling himself together.

When he spoke, it was with surprising calm, considering his expression. " _Why,_ exactly, does the ZBI care? None of the victims had anything on file worth noting."

" _The Bureau_ doesn't care," Agent Savage corrected. He pulled his paw out of his pocket and gestured to the red canid standing next to him. "The ones who care are…" He trailed off, giving the other agent a sideways glance. "Who did you say you work for?"

Ruby glared down at Jack. She might be short for a wolf, but she still stood head and shoulders over the buck. "I didn't. Police Chief Bogo," she turned away from Jack to step towards the desk. She placed the binder she was holding on the polished wood and slid it towards the buffalo. "This is a transfer order for one Nicholas Wilde. You will carry it out at as fast as possible."

Bogo had already opened the binder and begun to skim the paperwork within when he heard Ruby's demand. He very carefully closed the binder and folded his hooves atop it. The look he leveled at the agent sent an icy tingle up Judy's spine. "Agent Roughpaw, what authority do you have that you think _you_ can barge into _my_ office and make demands with such impunity?"

Ruby shrunk back from Bogo's frosty tone. Then she caught herself and straightened, glaring back at the huge bull before her. "Th-That's classified! Everything you need-"

" _What_ _authority_ _do you have?_ " Judy almost wished the bull was screaming. The level but somehow fiendishly hostile tone he was using now was frightening in a way all of his yelling before never was. It certainly seemed to affect Ruby. The slight wolf was almost shaking.

"It's-It's classified," she said, looking and sounding much smaller than before.

"I don't recognize 'classified'. 'Classified' has no authority here," Bogo said imperiously.

Ruby pointed at the binder that still sat beneath Bogo's hooves. "That is a _federal order!_ " she said, shrill desperation in her voice.

Bogo stared at the agent for a second, then glanced down at the binder. He grabbed it along the spine and raised it up so he could read the cover. He considered it for a moment. Then, before an astonished Ruby _and_ Judy, he grabbed the spine with his other hoof and _ripped the binder in half_.

"I seem to have lost my copy of the order," he said as he tossed the ruined document in the trashcan by his desk. "And because it was so _classified,_ I can't contact the appropriate office to have it replaced. Now," Bogo placed both of his hooves flat on his desk and stood. The huge buffalo seemed to fill the room. "Since you have _no authority_ and _no orders,_ why don't you…" He slowly leaned over his desk, looming over Ruby. The red-furred wolf shrunk back with her tail between her legs, terrified. " _Get_ _out of my office, you_ _ **feckless ankle-grabber!**_ "

Tears in her eyes, Ruby turned and fled out the door. Judy watched her go, suddenly realizing that _maybe_ her boss hadn't been treating her as cruelly as she thought. A heavy sigh drew her attention back to the buck that still stood boredly next to her. "Well..." he slicked his ears back with a paw, then looked up at the still steaming cape buffalo. "So much for that. Chief Bogo, sorry about all this. I didn't want any part of…" he waved a paw around vaguely. " _Whatever_ this is, but my superior insisted. That being said, I'm sure you'll be hearing from us again real soon." So saying, he too turned and left, though at a much more sedate pace than his erstwhile partner.

Once the door closed, Bogo sat back in his chair with a huff. Judy stood awkwardly, not sure how to proceed. The room fell into silence. Just as Judy began to fidget, Bogo turned to face her. "Hopps, do you understand your assignment?"

Judy straightened again, looking her boss in the eye. "Yes, sir! I think."

Bogo didn't _quite_ roll his eyes. "Good enough. Dismissed."

* * *

Bogo's three visitors scattered. They each went to a different meeting that mostly had to do with what happened in the Police Chief's office. However, each was different. With unique locations, participants and moods, the only thing these three meetings shared was a square on a calendar.

* * *

With Judy:

"What's this about me being your _Liaison?_ "

Nick chuckled from where he sat on the exam table, a tad nervous. "You already heard about that? I thought bureaucracies were supposed to be slow."

Judy placed a paw on her cocked hip, hindpaw tapping the infirmary room's tiled floor. "You didn't answer my question," she said flatly.

Nick plastered on his usual laid-back smirk. "Noticed that, didja?" When Judy's only reply was to continue _im_ patiently wait for an answer, the fox conceded defeat with a roll of his eyes. " _Alright._ You got me. I don't trust… well, anyone, really, but _especially_ cops. When I had your boss by the cojones, I took my chance to make a little distance. With you as my _Liaison~_ " Nick put a little flair on the word, trying to make it seem more important. "I don't have to worry about ever being alone with one of them. When you're alone with one of them, it creates a 'he said, she said' situation. And the courts _always_ believe the police. If I _sneeze_ around one of these _fatheads_ , they might try to bring me up on assault! Or _attempted murder._ "

It was Judy's turn to roll her eyes. "Nick, that's ridiculous."

" _Is it?_ " Nick's smile was gone now. No, he looked Judy dead in the eye, completely serious. "How about a hypothetical? Let's say… oh, a _fox_ was being interrogated by a _polar bear_ cop. Now, let's say the cop got physical, just for _pretend._ Now, the fox defends himself from an assault. Scratches the cop. The cop presses charges. Now, you look me in the eye and tell me how that goes. No rose tinted glasses, no 'this is how it should be', no 'everyone gets a happy ending'. How does it go?"

Judy looked right into his intense green eyes, her own shining with her belief. "The fox should win."

Nick shook his head. "I didn't ask 'how it _should_ go', I asked 'how it _will_ go'."

"The fox _will_ win," Judy shot back.

Nick looked her dead in the eye and asked the most difficult question imaginable. "Why?"

Judy's brow knit together, a little confused. "Because the fox is right?"

Nick smirked with ill humor. "Courts aren't about _right_ and _wrong._ They are, _always have been,_ about convincing someone of something, either judge or jury. So," Nick's smile became challenging, "Convince me."

"Interrogations are recorded," Judy said smugly.

"Really? Where's mine?" Nick asked simply. Judy opened her mouth to reply, only to pause. Closing her jaw with a click, she settled back to think about it.

"The… Evidence Lockup?" It was more question than answer and Nick knew it.

"You don't sound sure of that," he noted.

Judy threw her arms out and shrugged, exasperated. "A record _does_ exist _somewhere._ "

"Well, good luck finding it. Don't forget, Grizzoli has worked here for _years._ Decades, even. These mammals are _his_ friends that trust _him._ All it takes is a single button press and _poof!_ Record gone due to technical failure or clerical error. And no one's the wiser," Nick explained calmly.

Judy shook her head. "That's not supposed to happen."

"Rabbits are _not supposed_ to be cops, either," Nick shot back. Then he swept an arm out towards her. "Yet, _here you are._ "

"That's not the same!" Judy denied, affronted. "Not even close! Rabbits _can_ be police!"

"But are they?"

"I am!"

"So I guess things 'not supposed' to happen still _can happen_?"

Judy's mouth was open to agree before she caught herself. She grimaced, ears falling back in annoyance before she grudgingly accepted Nick's point. "Fine. The video could disappear."

"That's right. What other evidence is there?"

"Physical evidence and eyewitness testimony."

"Remember, in the hypothetical case, there are no witnesses. Just the fox and the polar bear."

Judy paused thoughtfully "...you said the fox scratched the polar bear?"

Nick nodded sagely. "And the cop is adamant the fox was violent."

Judy thumped her foot in annoyance. "Wouldn't the fox have gotten hurt, too?"

Nick stared at her like she knew better. "Doesn't matter. Anything that happens to the fox can be explained away by being subdued by the larger officer."

Judy thumped her foot harder. "This is wrong."

"But not impossible," Nick reminded. "Now, what happens?"

Judy's foot stopped thumping, adding a strange sense of finality to the situation. "The fox gets two years to twenty, depending on the severity of the charge."

"And _that_ is why you are my liaison," Nick said smugly, laying back on the exam table.

"Ugh, Nick!" Judy threw her arms down in frustration. _Why_ did this fox break _everything_ she believed in? " _I'm a cop._ How does _me_ being your liaison help you?"

Nick didn't even bother to look at her, waving a paw as though to swipe the question out of the air like an annoying bug. " _That's_ easy. It's because I know I can trust you."

* * *

With Jack:

The distinctive rabbit stepped out of a sleek, stainless steel elevator into a drab white office space. Walking past the cubicle farm, he made a line for the corner office. As he entered, he noted the engraved plaque on the door:

**Director of Operations**

**Skye Vault**

As he walked in, he glanced around, noting the many framed awards and commendations on the walls. It always boggled his mind how someone only a couple years older than him could have such a distinguished career.

"Is that the sound of you _not_ knocking? Or is it the sound of you getting _another_ demerit?"

Jack chuckled, hopping into the well-padded seat to face his boss. "Can't tell. They sound the same to me."

Skye, a lovely arctic vixen with snow-white fur and dark blue eyes wearing a suit, sat her elbows on her desk and knitted her fingers together. She leaned her forehead on them, blowing out an aggravated sigh. "Why do you do that?"

Jack tilted his head, innocently folding one of his ears halfway forwards while speaking in an exaggerated but professional manner. "Do what?"

"Actively _piss me off?_ "

" _Geez,_ I'll knock next time."

Skye raised her head, giving Jack a flat look. "We _both_ know _that's_ a lie. No, why didn't you _do your job?_ "

Now Jack tilted his head the other way, the cutesy look too perfect to be anything but intentional. "I'm a lawyer for the ZBI. A prosecutor, actually. I have a _ninety percent_ success rate. I think I do my job rather well."

Skye glared, her ears pulled back in a show of genuine annoyance. "You _know_ what I'm talking about."

Jack slowly rolled his eyes, as though thinking deeply. It made Skye's lip twitch. Then the bunny gasped. "Oh! Did you mean that _sham_ liaison thing with that _nonexistent_ agency to force through an _illegal_ federal order? No. I _don't_ know. Why don't you _explain?_ " He narrowed his eyes at her, demanding answers without using words that would get him in real trouble.

Skye grit her teeth, but resisted the urge to snarl. She had more control than that. "Savage, you know as well as I do that there are some things you just _have_ to do."

Jack jumped to his feet on the chair, actually bouncing from how energetic the movement was. He jabbed a finger downwards. "No! I won't accept that! There's _right_ and there's everything else!"

"That's an _infantile_ way of looking at things," his boss said, tone edging on snide.

Jack glared at her. "Why did you choose me, Director? Huh? What makes me different from everyone else?" Jack looked around with his arms out, as though searching for an answer from some invisible crowd. There was no answer, just silence.

The Director sat back in her seat, looking a little older than when the conversation started. She turned her seat so she could look out the window. It revealed a spectacular view of Downtown Zootopia. Funny how she couldn't enjoy it. "Because you were the most qualified," she said woodenly.

"Don't feed me that _garbage._ Any intern here could have been 'Agent Classified's' liaison. Tell me the truth. What's really happening?" Ears erect, Jack stood on the edge of his seat and leaned forward, placing his paws on the edge of the desk. It was as close to the Director as professionalism allowed.

Skye's eyes did not waver, but Jack noticed just then that her gaze was miles beyond the glorious Zootopian skyline. Her answer was as cold and hollow as a crypt. "I'm not at liberty to say."

Jack's expression darkened, his ears folding behind his head. He pushed himself off the desk to stand straight, arms held rigidly at his side. "If that is all, Director?" he asked icily.

Skye slowly raised her paw from the armrest, then let it drop. It was all the affirmation Jack needed. He hopped down from the seat and stormed from the room, though he still pulled the door slowly, quietly, respectfully shut behind him.

* * *

With Ruby:

The red-furred wolf sat on the edge of her stiff hotel mattress, her toes just barely trailing across the thin carpet. Everything about her was downtrodden and withdrawn, from her downturned face to her hunched shoulders. She even clutched at her tail as it trailed across her lap, a quirk usually associated with pups.

The reason for her distress seemed fairly obvious. A huge black wolf paced in front of her. His silent steps belied his weight, which was at least twice that of the much smaller Ruby. His paws were at his sides, opening and clenching rhythmically. A snout pulled back in a fearsome snarl put huge white teeth on display. He was the perfect image of a caged animal.

This went on for nearly a minute before either spoke. Surprisingly, it was Ruby that began. "You have to stop."

Gmork spun to face her, snarling in rage. "What did you say?!"

Ruby flinched, but still turned to face him. Her gaze lingered on his thigh, where she knew his bullet wound still lay, treated only hours ago. "You have to stop walking. Your stitches might tear."

"My _stitches_ are the least of our problems, Ruby!" Gmork shouted, harshly slapping his thigh to highlight the point.

Even though his thunderous voice made her tremble, the she-wolf pressed. "P-Please sit down. You could bleed to death-"

Gmork was across the room before she could react. Suddenly pinned to the bed by huge paws on her shoulders, Ruby's shocked brown eyes stared up at wild gold. Noses almost touching, Gmork screamed from point-blank range. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING?! WHAT I'M-" The great wolf cut himself off, but it was too late. His mask cracked and, just for a moment, Ruby saw what was underneath. Fear, stark and terrible. Gmork swallowed and stood, turning away from the small she-wolf so he could compose himself. He continued, voice still harsh but at a much lower volume. "What I'm going to have to do?"

Ruby slowly sat up. She looked at Gmork's hunched back and shoulders, then her gaze fell to the floor, her ears pressed to her head in shame. "I know. I'm sorry, John."

The room fell into another tense silence, though different from the first in a fundamental way. Gmork moved first. Stepping toward the other bed, he turned and sat. The fact he did so slowly was the only hint that his leg still pained him. Once he was settled, he leaned his forearms on his knees and knit his paws together. He looked to Ruby, but when she wouldn't match his gaze, he let his eyes fall to his entwined digits. "What happened?"

Ruby hunched a little, reaching a paw across her front to rub her elbow. "I tried to do what you said. Be tough. Don't tell them anything. Show them the binder. And, you know, it worked. At first."

Gmork listened intently, his ears locked on Ruby even though his eyes weren't.

"But, then I got to the police station." Her tail once again wrapped around her, her paws nervously clenching it as she recalled her experience. "That cop, Bogo. He kept asking _questions._ "

Gmork raised his eyes to carefully watch Ruby. "What kind of questions?"

The she-wolf shyly glanced at Gmork, only to look away when she realized he was watching her. "Authority. He wanted to know who I worked for. I told him it was classified, but he didn't care. He… He tore the binder in half. He made it look _easy._ T-Then he stood up and… And he was _so big_ and-and he started yelling and I panicked and _I'm sorry._ " The last half of the explanation came out in a rush, Ruby trying to get everything out. The little wolf broke down, sobbing and muttering apology after apology as she wept.

Gmork looked away. His lips pressed into a thin line, face carefully blank. It wasn't perfect though. His ears lowered, a sure sign of his sorrow.

_**BRIIING! BRIIING!** _

Both wolves jumped to attention at the sound. Ruby clutched her tail to her chest, terror spread across her face as she watched Gmork frantically pull an old flip phone from one of his breast pockets. The dark wolf pulled the device open, then carefully held it to his ear. Gmork swallowed, looking into Ruby's frightened brown eyes. He whispered a name, "Aphos."

" _Oh. So you_ _ **do**_ _remember me,"_ a voice like motor oil replied, dark and slick.

"I can take care of this," Gmork said. He turned away from Ruby so he wouldn't have to watch her shake.

" _Don't lie to_ _ **me, dog.**_ _I know_ _ **everything.**_ _Your combatants are_ _ **dead.**_ _And now your worthless_ _ **bitch**_ _has used up any chance you had left._ " The voice washed over him like a prickly heat, leaving him feeling fevered and parched.

Gmork swallowed, trying to ease his suddenly dry mouth. "That wasn't her fault. Sika did these things before. Ruby isn't trained for this kind of work."

" _And yet you sent her anyway. What's wrong, pooch? You_ _ **afraid**_ _to ask your_ _ **master**_ _for a favor?"_

The reminder of his situation set the mercenary's teeth on edge. He spoke through a clenched jaw. "I just-!" Gmork paused, forcing himself to calm. "...didn't want to bother you. I know you're busy."

" _Oh? So you were worried about my convenience. How sweet. Well,_ _ **pet. Here's a treat.**_ "

There was no preparing for what came next. Every nerve in his body fired simultaneously at a searing intensity and then stopped just as abruptly. The effect was akin to being dipped in molten lead then thrown into a vat of ice water.

Gmork came to with a gasp. He was splayed on the floor. Ruby landed on her knees next to him, clutching at his arm and asking him if he was alright. However, he ignored all that, desperately casting around for the cell phone. He knew from experience that if he kept Aphos waiting, he could count on getting another _treat._

Finally spotting it a few feet away, the great wolf lunged for the device. He cupped it with both shaking paws. Laying on his side, he held it to his ear. "I-I'm…" he paused to swallow the blood in his mouth. "I'm here," he croaked into the receiver.

" _That's good. I'm_ _ **busy**_ _, after all. Can't spend too much time on you. Where were we?"_

Gold eyes slid closed as Gmork gave in. "I need a favor."

" _That's a good boy,_ " the voice teased, leaving a greasy feeling in Gmork's soul. " _You'll be contacted in a few hours. Now. What to do about Ruby?"_

Gmork turned his head to glance up at the she-wolf who was still fretting over him. The fear in his eyes froze her solid. "What do you mean?"

" _Her punishment, of course._ "

"I'll take care of it," he said quickly.

The voice disagreed. " _Oh,_ _ **no**_ _. You need to take it easy after your_ _ **little accident**_ _._ " The mocking concern gave way to a cruel practicality. " _Besides, I still need her to play agent. Bruises and lumps make things… Difficult."_

Ruby could see the truth in his eyes. She shook her head slowly, mouthing _no,_ begging silently for mercy. Gmork pled for her, "Please. Don't."

" _Bad puppy._ _ **Begging**_ _doesn't get you anything in_ _ **this**_ _house."_

Ruby collapsed. Gmork sat up to catch her. She began to seize in his arms, eyes rolled back and foaming at the mouth. The big male clutched the smaller female to him with one arm, raising the other to hold the cell phone to his ear. "That's enough! You'll kill her!"

" _Yes, I_ _ **will**_ _,"_ the voice agreed. The thrashing suddenly stopped. Gmork loosened his grip so he could look down at Ruby. The she-wolf's head lolled back, her body limp. For a heart-stopping instant, he thought he had truly lost everything. But then Ruby jerked and gasped. The voice continued in his ear. " _Don't_ _ **ever**_ _forget that._ "

Gmork grit his teeth as he cradled the slender wolf to his chest. Ruby reciprocated, wrapping trembling arms around his neck. As she began to weep into the thick fur of his throat, Aphos had one final thing to say. " _Remember, Gmork. This will only end when you bring me that nifty toy in the fox's chest._ "

* * *

AN: My usual shoutout to my collaborators: DragoLord19D, Rieth89, and Hebbocake.

But especially to Chesterization, DrummerMax64, RandomNobody37. These guys have definitely gone above and beyond. This chapter wouldn't be here now if not for them.


	13. The End of Peace

Jack Savage currently sat in his private office. It was small and spartan, but that suited him fine. As he sat at his desk, only slightly larger than he would have preferred, he leafed through a few files, occasionally jotting down a note or crossing something out. He was trying to catch up on the work that he had to put on hold because of the fiasco earlier in the day. The buck had a reputation of always completing his work on time, and he wasn't going to let his spotless record of dependability be tarnished!

"Savage. Conference Room One. Now."

Or, so he thought. The well dressed bunny jabbed the intercom button on his desk phone. "What for?!"

"I'm your boss, not your secretary. Do what you're told before I hang you from your tail," Skye said hotly.

Jack paused, staring at the phone. His boss was one of the most levelheaded mammals he had ever met. It was a rarity for the Arctic vixen to raise her voice. Whatever was happening must be extremely important. Jack pressed the intercom button, softly this time. His ears wilted and his voice was contrite as he replied, "I apologize. Yes, Director. Right away."

* * *

The first thing Jack noticed as he walked into the well-furnished Conference Room One was Agent Roughpaw. The red wolf was sitting on the right hand side of his boss, who sat at the head of the table. That rankled him somewhat, because he always sat at Skye's right hand.

He let that slide though, not willing to sacrifice his professionalism for what really amounted to a trifling detail. Still, his eye twitched once or twice as he took the seat on Skye's left. The table was really meant for mammals of average wolf size, which meant all three occupants were a tad inconvenienced, though only Jack had to outright stand on his seat to be seen.

It was only after he had done so that he noticed the desktop phone that currently sat on the beautifully lacquered wood, right in the center of the table.

Movement from the corner of his eye drew Jack's attention. Skye was tapping the table with a claw, seemingly out of impatience or annoyance.

Jack knew better. Anyone that spent any amount of time with the cool-headed vixen knew that she never let such obvious signs through by accident. Sure enough, he noticed she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. They made brief eye contact, then her eyes flicked down. Jack looked back to her paw. Two claw tips tapped the table, then she pointed at him with one digit before flattening her paw on the table.

Shut up. Listen carefully. Show utmost respect.

Jack's right ear twitched in response. Understood.

"Everyone is here, Mr. Skroop," Skye began, clearly addressing the phone.

"Wooonnndeeerfuuul," the word was drawn out by a deep but otherwise cheerful voice. Jack's eyebrows jumped in surprise. Were they talking to a sloth? "I uuunndeeerstaaand theeere waaas aaa miiisscooomunnnicaaation…" As the voice dragged on, Jack barely kept himself from rolling his eyes. He briefly looked to his companions to gauge their reactions. Ruby was slumped in her seat, staring at her lap and looking strangely subdued. Skye, however, was staring at the phone, her ears trained intently. It was obvious that she was taking the words very, very seriously. Jack tuned back in, determined to do the same. "...thiiis mmmooornninnngg?"

"Yes, Mr. Skroop," Skye answered, "It seems the local police won't cooperate unless they know who they are dealing with. Your agent seems to be under orders not to reveal that information. She was turned away because of that."

"I seee. Aaageennnt Roouughhhpaawww eeexplaaainned aaass muuuch. Sheee haas beeen iissuuued nneeew oordders," Mr. Skroop explained.

Ruby sat up, gaining the attention of her two companions. She placed a new binder on the table, though Jack noticed it was as nondescript as the last one. "I have been allowed to reveal the nature of my agency to any necessary personnel," she recited dully, as though she was repeating something tediously memorized. "However, any mammal that learns this information will have to sign a legally binding and highly punitive non-disclosure agreement." She placed a paw on the binder's cover. "I have been issued several, so that I may add more mammals to this effort as I see fit."

"Aaageennt Roouughhpaaaw..." Mr. Skroop's voice called out, drawing all eyes to the phone, "...iiiss coorrreect. Aaageennt SSaavvage?"

Jack jerked to attention, not having expected to be called on. He glanced at Skye, who glanced sternly back. He looked back to the phone and leaned in. "Yes, Mr. Skroop?" he asked as politely as possible.

"Pleeease heeelp Aaageennt Roouughhpaaw… Sheee iiiss… Uuunteessted."

"I understand. I will do everything I can," Jack replied, trying to sound sincere.

"Thhaaank youuu. Aarrre thheere aaany queestiooonns?"

Skye answered, just as politely as Jack. "No, Mr. Skroop. We understand perfectly."

"Gooodbyyye…" Eventually, there was a click.

As soon as the line was dead, Skye turned to Jack. "Savage. I trust you know what to do?"

Jack's gaze lingered on Ruby for a moment, then he turned to look his boss in the eye. "Yes, Director."

"Then get it done. The sooner the better," she said, once again uncharacteristically snappish. She slid from her chair and walked briskly from the room, her luxuriously thick white tail waving agitatedly behind her.

Jack watched her go, real concern growing in his gut. He had never seen his boss so… angry before.

Wait, that wasn't true. She had been this agitated once before. Two years ago, a rookie field agent had gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Skye had been a terror, riding everyone to work harder and faster than ever before to locate her wayward operative. The entire department had searched for twelve stressful hours.

They found the agent alive. Turns out he hadn't been sneaky enough. The criminals he had been tailing ambushed him, beat him senseless, and threw him in the trunk of their car. The wolf was lucky they found him when they did. The criminals, two moose, had been planning to drop him in a river with an anvil tied to his ankles.

Could that be why his boss was so upset? Because someone was in danger? Was he in danger?

Jack forcibly pressed these questions into the back of his mind. They lurked there like a bad rash, hot and uncomfortable, but it let him focus on the task he had been assigned.

However, as he led Ruby from the room, Jack decided he was going to watch the coming events with new eyes. Something wasn't right. And when something wasn't right, the buck took pride in always doing his best to make it so. After all, there was Right, and then there was everything else.

* * *

Chief Bogo sat in his office, looking over the paperwork needed to have the dead lioness in his morgue go through the necessary tests to identify her, starting with a simple scan through the local DMV database. Hopefully, she had a Zootopian Driver's License, or some other similar form of ID.

Ring! Ring!

The buffalo reached over and lifted the handset from its cradle. Holding it up with one hoof, he continued filling out the paperwork with his other with practiced ease. "Chief of Police," he said, just sternly enough to not be considered absent.

"Chief Bogo. This is Jack Savage from the ZBI. We talked earlier today."

Bogo's pen came to a halt. Carefully setting it down, he then closed the file. "Yes. I remember. I believe you barged in unannounced and started making demands."

"Yes, you are absolutely right. That was a mistake on my part. I apologize," Jack said, professionally contrite.

Bogo, for his part, didn't relax a bit. "You didn't call to apologize." It was a statement of fact.

"Yes, Sir. You are right about that. I would like to set an appointment for as soon as possible."

Glaring at the wall, Bogo stated another fact. "This isn't going away."

"No, Sir, Chief Bogo. It's not."

* * *

Nick, with Judy standing dutifully beside him, had spent most of the day working with the ZPD. Hours had been spent talking with Fangmeyer. The new lead detective of the case had done as thorough a job as could be imagined. He questioned Nick about every possible detail, starting from several days before initial contact with Ms. Hertz. From strange mammals and vehicles to unusual sounds or smells, the tiger cop wanted to know everything. Then they went through hundreds of photos of known or suspected criminals that matched the description of the wolf that had attacked them in the ambulance. None fit, though Nick pointed out a couple that were close.

They moved on to Ms. Hertz. Fangmeyer showed Nick a photo of the dead lioness they had found. To everyone's surprise, Nick shook his head.

"No. Not even close. She's way too young. Hertz is in her thirties, at least. Maybe a healthy, fit thirty, but definitely older than this lioness."

Fangmeyer leaned across the conference table, his face grave. "Are you sure?" He tapped the photo with a claw. "Look again. Closely."

Nick glanced down at the photo, then slid it across the table to Fangmeyer. "I'm sure. Whoever this poor girl is, she is not Ms. Hertz."

Fangmeyer leaned back, contemplated briefly, then began gathering things into a file, including the photo of the lioness. He looked to Nick as he worked. "You've been very helpful, Mr. Wilde. Would you mind speaking with a sketch artist?"

After a couple more hours being interviewed by a sketch artist to create composite images of the unknown wolf and Ms. Hertz, Nick was finally escorted back to the infirmary.

An hour later, Judy Hopps sat in what she had, if only in her mind, designated as her chair. It was the one by the examination table that Nick had basically claimed as his own, in action if not words. The bunny currently had her notebook opened across her lap, jotting down notes with her favorite carrot-shaped pen. She was entertaining herself by creating scenarios that might explain what happened over the last few days and ranking them by plausibility.

Next to her, Nick lay on his side on the exam bench, his back to her. It looked like he was sleeping, body completely still. The only exception was his right ear, which was twitching and twisting about, as though it were trying to find something.

Judy put the final few touches on 'Precursor to Alien Invasion'. It was ranked low on the list, of course, but not as low as she would have thought. She tapped her chin with the thick plastic pen, pondering what she had written down and wondering what the next scenario could be.

Her musings were cut short when Nick jerked next to her, his head coming off his little pillow with a sharp intake of air. Judy, without looking up, flipped to the last page of her notebook. There were six tally marks in the upper left corner. She marked a seventh.

Movement from the corner of her eye drew her gaze. Nick was sitting now, legs dangling from the edge of his bench. He was slouched, paws on his knees and elbows out. He glowered at the floor, looking more upset than Judy had seen thus far.

Judy stood in her chair, tucking the notebook and carrot pen away as she did so. Standing on the chair still only put her eyes just above the bench, so she lay her cheek on the edge next to Nick's knee. Her ears fell back as she looked up at him. Her voice was soft as she spoke, "Giving up?"

Nick's glower set on her. He realised he was glaring after only an instant. He looked away, rubbing at his eyes with one paw as he collected himself. His voice was a little rough as he replied, "Yeah."

"You didn't sleep last night, did you?" Her voice was still soft, sympathetic. It drew Nick's gaze back to her. The sight of her, ears back and eyes wide with kindness and concern written across her face, did more to relieve his dour mood than Nick would care to admit, or explain.

It was supposed to be a smirk, but the smile Nick put on came out… soft. "What gave me away?"

"You weren't snarky," Judy said plainly. "Like, at all. Usually you give everyone you meet some grief, but today you were just… I don't know. Helpful? Pleasant?" Judy smiled playfully up at Nick. "Definitely not your usual self," she teased.

Nick rolled his eyes and leaned back, unable to help the grin stretching across his muzzle. "Ah! Well, if me being helpful or pleasant is cause for concern, don't worry! Won't happen again," he assured her.

"Well," Judy said, leaning away from the bench. She put one paw on her hip and badly faked a frustrated pump of the fist with the other, "Darn. Here I was hoping you were always like this and I just caught you on a bad day."

"Achoo!" Rabbit and fox both glanced towards the noise. It was Dr. Andes, once again at her desk. She reached over and plucked a tissue from a box next to her computer monitor.

"Bless you, Dr. Andes," Judy said politely.

The deer blew her nose and tossed the used paper. She responded as she reached for a bottle of sanitizer that sat next to the tissues. "Thank you, Officer."

As he watched the deer rub the gel over her hooves, nose twitching from the sharp tang of alcohol and antiseptic, Nick suddenly perked up. "Hey, doc. You're a doctor, right?"

Arlea closed her eyes so her guests wouldn't see them roll. "Yes, Mr. Wilde. I am a doctor."

"Then you know all kinds of medical stuff, right?" Nick continued, sounding genuinely interested.

The deer doctor turned from her game of solitaire to look at the fox. Seeing that he wasn't being sarcastic or snide, she decided to humor him. "I am fairly knowledgeable. Is there something you would like to know?" She tilted her head just a degree, a sign of her curiosity. What could her smart alec guest want to know?

"Well…" Nick rubbed his knees, thinking on how to word his question. "You've been here. I'm sure you noticed how I couldn't sleep. What's that thing called, when it suddenly feels like you're falling?"

"Hypnic jerk," Arlea said, flatly.

Nick leaned back, ears down and face nonplussed. "Geez, sorry I asked."

It took a second for the deer to figure out his response. Her eyes widened once she caught on. "What? No! It's not an insult." The deer waved an arm in front of her, as though to disperse the notion like a puff of smoke. "It's the answer to your question. A full-body twitch just before you fall asleep, sometimes with vertigo, is called a hypnic jerk."

Nick's ears perked back up, mollified by the explanation. "Oh… Why does it happen?" Next to him, Judy perked up and looked to the deer, also interested in the answer.

Dr. Andes grabbed her elbow with one hoof and tapped her cheek with the other, something Nick was starting to think of as her 'thoughtful' pose. "It's not known why it happens, exactly. All we know are a number of causes. Stress, caffeine, even just bad sleeping patterns. Anything that interferes with a normal, healthy circadian rhythm."

"Ok…" Nick's eyes rolled toward the ceiling as he thought about the deer's words. They made sense. He'd certainly been through a lot of stress, lately. But, there was problem. His eyes fell back to the doe. "But, Doc, I've been stressed before. Real, genuine stress. 'Not knowing if I'm going to live through the day' stress. It's never kept me awake like this before!"

Nick's words drew Judy's full attention. The rabbit's eyes and ears were locked on the fox, eyes wide with curiosity and concern. Why would a popsicle hustler fear for his life?

"The body can react differently to different stressors," Dr. Andes' response drew Judy away from her questions and back into the current conversation. "There are also other causes for hypnic jerks. A number of different brain disorders are suspected to increase their frequency and severity. There is also a theory that your heart could be responsible."

That got Judy's and Nick's attention. The duo shared a nervous glance. Could it be?

"Could you tell us about the heart theory?" Judy asked, turning back to the doctor.

"Well…" Arlea's gaze shifted from one to the other suspiciously, having caught their interaction. What were they hiding? "As you go to sleep, you relax and your heartbeat slows. It's possible that, if your heartbeat slows too rapidly, your brain will think your heart is actually stopping. It reacts by sending a shock through your system, trying to get your heart going again. In theory. It's never been proven, to my knowledge."

This explanation did little to assure them. The duo turned to each other again. Judy, big doe eyes at full blast, began, "Nick…"

The fox was quick to cut her off. He raised one paw between them in an effort to distance himself from those compassionate amethysts. "No! Hopps, ok? Just, no."

The bunny did something unexpected. She reached up and took his larger paw with both of her own. Nick looked on in shock as she gently guided his paw to the side so she could look him in the eye. "Nick, please. You need to show her."

The tod looked up and away, stubbornly staring at the fluorescent light bulbs. "You heard her. It's just a theory."

Judy didn't relinquish her hold on his paw. She ran her thumb over his knuckles, doing her best to relax him and relieve the anxiety she knew the fox was hiding. "It's not just that. You've had that thing in your chest for three days. You've been on the street, out in the rain, and in a river. A wound like that can get infected, bad. You need medical attention."

Nick could feel himself crumbling. His eyes slipped down, only to immediately shoot back up again. He knew he wouldn't be able to say no if he kept looking into those pretty purple eyes. "If it's so important, why didn't you make me do it last night?" he asked, petulant.

"I should have. But, after what happened with the ambulance and the bear and Grizzoli, I wanted you to feel safe. I didn't want to force anything on you," Judy explained patiently.

Dr. Andes walked up, almost unnoticed by the pair. "Is there something I need to see?"

Nick snapped towards her, face cross and a denial on his lips. Two little paws squeezing his one stopped him short. He glanced down out of the corner of his eye.

Judy was there, still holding his paw. She looked up at him, ears held earnestly back, eyes beseeching. Nick looked for a long moment, knowing what it was doing to him but unable to stop himself. Finally, he looked away, sighing in defeat. "Yes, doctor. There is something."

* * *

AN: Many thanks to DrummerMax64 and A_Helpful_Whit aka Gamer Nation for checking for errors.

I've noticed I've kind of lost everyone else. I hope you guys are okay. It's been awhile.

P.S. A big shout out to TheWyvernsWeaver for making my awesome new cover art! Everyone really needs to go to DeviantArt and check his stuff out. Guy is _inspired._

P.P.S. I am reuploading this chapter because DrummerMax64 went through the chapter and fixed and tweaked a bunch of stuff. Really improved the finer details, I think.


	14. Three Can Keep A Secret If Two Are Dead

" _Yes, doctor. There is something."_

Pulling his paw from Judy's grip, Nick scooted back on the exam table and stood.

He gripped the hem of the ridiculous pink shirt Judy gifted him. However, seeing the two does staring expectantly at him made him hesitate. Maybe this would be easier if he wasn't looking them in the eye as he did it. He turned so his back was facing them, then pulled the shirt up over his head before he completely lost his nerve. He had just pulled his head from the collar, shirt still wrapped around his arms, when a gasp from behind froze him solid. There was a long, awkward moment of silence.

"N-Nick?" Judy called, voice wavering.

The fox in question looked over his shoulder at the rabbit officer. Her sickly expression made his gut clench. "...yes, Carrots?"

"The hole is, uh," she stuttered a bit, gaze flitting between his eyes and… lower. " _Bigger._ In the back."

The exit wound caused by the close range shotgun blast was _horrendous._ The hole in the front of Nick's chest could be covered by his palm, but if he opened his paw as far as it would go, his claw tips _might_ touch the edges of the ragged, gaping maw in his back. His lungs were clearly visible, as were his shoulder blades, the inner edges of his scapular bones frayed and jagged. Along the lower border, a dark red lump was probably his liver. Ribs and vertebrae poked out around the edges, uneven spikes of stained ivory framing everything like a macabre painting.

And, of course, the dimly glowing sphere hung in the middle, exactly where his heart should have been, suspended in a web of crystalline tendrils like an eldritch cocoon.

Nick stared for a moment, trying to process what she meant. When he figured it out, he turned forward, glaring deadpan at the wall before him. "Of _course_ it is."

As the fox pulled the shirt off his arms and dropped it on the bench next to his feet, Dr. Andes finally found her voice. "Officer Hopps," she started, voice faint, "would you please describe what's standing on the exam table?"

Judy tore her gaze from Nick's back to face the older doe. Everything about the deer said 'shellshocked', from her wide-eyed expression to her slack shouldered stance. She looked ready to faint. The bunny cop decided to comply, though she would not refer to Nick as a 'what'. " _He_ is a male red fox," she started softly, though with emphasis on the fact that Nick was a mammal, "with a large exit wound in his back. No blood. There is an unknown object embedded where his heart should be."

"So you see it, too?" Arlea asked, eyes still locked on the impossible sight before her.

Nick snorted derisively at the question, which drew an annoyed glance from Judy. The doe then turned back to face the deer in the white scrubs. "Yes, doctor. I see _him._ "

"Oh, good. For a second I thought I was crazy," Arlea said, sounding much more like herself. She drew up her shoulders and approached the bench. She sounded every bit the confident medical professional as she began to direct Nick. "Mr. Wilde, please lay down on your front. I will begin your exam now."

* * *

A half an hour later Nick now lay on his back, the hole in his chest exposed for all to see. Dr. Andes leaned over him, nose so close to the wound he would _swear_ he could feel her breath _inside._ The doctor had been worryingly silent throughout the exam, only occasionally directing Nick to shift one way or another. The silence was starting to get to him, and he would have been a nervous wreck if not for a certain bunny. Judy sat cross-legged on the exam table next to him, holding his paw in her lap. She continuously stroked his knuckles and squeezed his fingers in an effort to make sure he knew that she was there, that he wasn't alone.

Arlea stood up, snatched a pen and notepad from the bench and began furiously scribbling down notes. This went on for a while. Then a little more. When the doctor actually flipped the page and began to write down _more,_ Judy's impatience finally got the better of her.

"Dr. Andes?" she prodded, polite but insistent.

The doe in question's head shot up, eyes wide in surprise. It was like she actually forgot there was anyone else in the room. When she spotted the fox and the rabbit staring at her expectantly, she remembered what she was _supposed_ to be doing.

"Right," she said. Clearing her throat, she sat on the chair next to the exam table. She spent a long moment just tapping her notepad with her pen and staring at nothing, visibly collecting her thoughts. "Mr. Wilde," she began, slowly, "you _can't be alive._ " She turned to look Nick in eye, her face beyond serious. Nick gulped. "If you received this wound in the finest operating theatre surrounded by the most qualified surgeons _in the world_ , they wouldn't be able to save you. It. Is. _Impossible._ "

Feeling Nick grow tense next to her, Judy intervened. "That's wrong. Nick is right here. He talks and breathes and eats. He's _not_ dead!"

Dr. Andes looked to Judy, her jaw set grimly. "I don't think you understand. If it were _just_ his heart, it would be possible to save him. Pulmonary bypass machines and artificial hearts are becoming more advanced all the time. But it's _not just that,_ " she stressed. "His lungs were also severely damaged. His trachea was _shredded._ His spine wasn't just severed, _six inches_ of it _are_ _missing_ _._ No one in the history of mammaldom has _ever_ survived this much damage, nor has the technology to allow someone to survive been invented!"

"Then what _the hell_ is this?!" Nick interjected, waving angrily at the glowing orb in his chest.

The question seemed to stump the doctor. She looked away, once again gathering her thoughts. Her foot bounced nervously, the _tap tap tap_ of her hoof on the tile the only sound in the office. After several long moments, she finally answered, "I don't know."

Nick's displeasure over that answer was plain to see. He began to sit up, ears back and muzzle twisted in the beginnings of a snarl. He was fairly growling as he retorted, "What do you mean _you don't know?_ How can you _not know?_ "

Judy quickly leaned up onto her knees so she could put both her paws on his shoulder, both as a comfort and a warning. She gently pressed him back down until Nick was once again laying prone. Still kneeling over him, she turned to the much older doe. "Doctor, can you tell us _something? Anything?_ "

Arlea opened her mouth, closed it thoughtfully, then opened it again. "It _looks_ organic. But not like anything I've ever seen. It's transparent enough to see it's internal structure, but there are no visible organs. It's pumping his blood, but I can't see how. There isn't anything that might be a valve or chamber, nothing that resembles a heart or even a pump. Blood just pours in then back out again.

It's also repaired the damage to his lungs, diaphragm and trachea. It's even deadened the pain. Because, Mr. Wilde," the doctor shifted her gaze to Nick, her face once again dead serious, "if you could still feel the damage in your chest, you would be in pain. Pain like I can't describe."

Nick blanched, not really having considered that before. The pain in his chest had started out bad. So bad that that was all he could really remember from when he first woke up. It had taken several minutes before he had been able to look around and recognize the massacre on the pier for what it was. It was several minutes more before he had the strength to crawl away.

Ever since then, the pain had been fading. Enough to stand and walk by the time he had gone a block. Enough to not feel like he was dying by the time he got to Honey's. Enough to run when he was caught by Judy. Enough to focus when the ambulance was ambushed. Now it was like a bruised rib: mostly a twinge as he breathed, only really noticeable when he stretched or coughed or otherwise put pressure on his chest. It hadn't occurred to him until right then that it wasn't normal for a gaping hole in his chest to _not_ have him writhing in agony.

"It's also done some other things," Arlea continued, pulling Nick back from his contemplation.

"There's _more?_ " he asked incredulously, once again trying to sit up.

Judy pressed him back down and shushed him. "Listen, Nick. This is important."

"Yes, more," Dr. Andes confirmed. "It's replaced your esophagus as well. I suspect it's filtering any food you eat, taking anything it needs for itself before passing the rest on to you."

"It's a _parasite?!_ " Nick asked, shocked and disgusted.

Dr. Andes shook her head in denial. "No. A parasite would exist at your expense. Since this… _aberration_ is the only thing keeping you alive, the only appropriate term is 'symbiote'."

Judy sat back, concern coloring her voice as she asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means Nick needs the symbiote, and the symbiote needs Nick. Nick provides protection and sustenance while the symbiote acts as his life support, keeping him alive and healing him," Dr. Andes explained. "The two are now intertwined. One can't exist without the other."

The room went quiet as everyone considered her words. It took a moment, but Nick finally realized what they meant.

 _I'm going to have this until I die. I'm going to be a freak_ _ **forever**_.

Just as he was about to slip into the darkness of despair, he spotted a glimmer of hope. Propping himself up on one elbow, he massaged his temples with the other paw. "Wait. Wait. _You_ said," Nick started, pointing at Dr. Andes with a claw-tipped finger, "that this thing was healing me. Why can't it just… just _fix the damage_ and then you cut it out of me like a tumor?"

Dr. Andes shot that thought down, knowing that her patient's hopes and expectations needed to be grounded in reality. "Mr. Wilde, that isn't even a possibility. While your symbiote has done miracles repairing your organs, it has failed utterly to repair any of the other damage. Your bones show no signs of regeneration and the surrounding muscles are contracting and hardening like those on a severed limb. You need to make peace with the fact that you are going to have that hole in your chest for a very long time."

If the doe had struck Nick over the head with a crowbar, it wouldn't have been a more devastating blow. The fox collapsed onto his back, pressed his head into the pillow and covered his face with both paws. It was all he could think to do.

Judy and Arlea stared at the fox as he clammed up. The does both sensed something was wrong, but it was Judy that decided to do something about it. Leaning forward, she gently lay her paw on his shoulder.

"Nick-"

"Stop," Nick demanded, bringing Judy up short. She frowned, a little hurt by his icy tone, but she wasn't going to say anything. She couldn't even imagine what he must be going through right now.

"What can I do?" she asked, voice soft.

"You can _leave me alone_ _!_ " he snapped, sharp, predatory teeth flashing.

Judy jumped back with a gasp, landing on her feet at the edge of the table. She stared in shock at the fox that lay before her, one paw over her speeding heart.

 _He... he bared his teeth at me,_ she thought, stunned.

"Officer Hopps," Arlea called, breaking the bunny from her reverie. Once Judy was looking at her, the deer gestured to the door, "Perhaps we should give Mr. Wilde some privacy?"

Judy tried to say something, but she was surprised to find a lump in her throat. She swallowed and replied, her voice barely more than a whisper, "Of course."

She walked around Nick, carefully stepping over his tail. Just before she would have hopped down, she paused. She looked back over her shoulder. The fox was still laying there, paws over his eyes and lips set in a thin, stoic line. He was so still just then, it was like he was made from stone.

"I... I'll be outside. If-If you need anything," she said, a hitch in her voice.

Nick didn't reply. Not so much as a twitch. Only the faint pulse of the orb in his chest proved he was even still breathing.

Judy turned away, dropped down from the exam table and followed Dr. Andes out of the room, head down and long ears pressed to her back.

* * *

As the door closed behind her, Judy noticed Dr. Andes was already walking away, her hooves clicking purposefully down the hall. Something sparked inside Judy, a tiny voice crying _danger! Something's not right!_

The bunny cop made to follow, but only made it three steps before she froze.

_I told Nick I would be here._

The bunny stood in the hall, caught in a rare moment of indecision. Before she could really choose one way or another, Dr. Andes turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

Judy reached out a paw as though to draw the deer back, only to let it fall back to her side. The opportunity passed, Judy turned and walked back to the infirmary door. Reaching it, she sniffed and wiped her eyes with her paws. Then she turned and stood at attention. Ears up, shoulders square and back straight, she was the very image of an officer dutifully on guard.

Trunkaby and Francine, the _actual_ guards, stood on either side of the door, though after eight hours of doing so, their stances were less than perfect. Trunkaby leaned against the wall, enough to take some weight off his aching ankles but not enough to damage the plaster with his enormous bulk. He'd done that _once_. Bogo had lambasted him for letting his negligence damage his precinct. Trunkaby decided then that once was enough. Francine's posture was better, her weight still entirely on her own feet. Still, her shoulders were sagging just enough to be noticeable, and her back was less than perfectly straight.

The two elephants exchanged looks, holding a wordless conversation nearly ten feet over Judy's head.

Trunkaby raised a brow and flicked his gaze down to Judy: _What's up with Hopps_?

Francine gave a barely noticeable shrug and flicked her own gaze down: _Ask her yourself._

Trunkaby's brow fell into a flat line: _Are you stupid?_

Francine's eyes widened as her brow pinched: _What's that supposed to mean?!_

An elephantine ear flicked downward, towards Judy: _You should ask her._

Francine leaned back, face aghast: _Why me?!_

Trunkaby leaned his head forward, first giving Judy a deliberate look, then Francine: _Because your both females?_

Francine just glared: _What does_ _ **that**_ _matter?!_

Trunkaby glared back: _Just do it!_

Francine rolled her eyes and turned away with a silent scoff: _**Fine.**_ _Men!_

Judy looked up as the enormous elephant next to her cleared her throat. Francine looked down, smiling gently behind her trunk. "Hey, Hopps. Everything alright?"

"Hm?" Judy's right ear twitched as she processed the question. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just some…" she trailed off, looking down and away, "Bad news."

The elephants once again traded looks over Judy's head, Trunkaby's face more curious than concerned and Francine's more concerned than curious. They both tilted their heads back to Judy. "Are you going to be okay?" Francine asked.

Judy looked back up, shooting Francine a weak smile. "I'll be fine. It's not _my_ bad news. It's Nic-uh, the witness's. He just learned something… awful." Judy looked away again, leaning against the door behind her, ears falling limp.

Trunkaby's curiosity got the better of him. "It's not like he's going to die, right? I mean," he backtracked immediately, mostly due to Francine's fierce glare, "he looked fine earlier."

Judy looked down, a truly forlorn expression falling over her features. "We don't know."

The hallway fell into a tense silence, no one willing to say anything after Judy's morose reply.

Francine continued to glare at Trunkaby: _I blame_ _you_ _for this._

Trunkaby studiously looked away, head bowed and ears heating up in mortification: … _Sorry._

Heavy footfalls from down the hall drew all three mammals' attention. Judy felt the bottom drop out of her stomach as she spotted a furious looking Bogo stomping towards them, followed closely by a deathly serious Dr. Andes.

A curse bubbled up her throat and out of her mouth before she could stop it. "Oh, _carrot sticks._ "

* * *

Nick lay on his side, having curled up into a loose fetal position pretty much as soon as the door had closed. He knew he was supposed to be contemplating the laughably horrible turn his life had just taken, but just then his thoughts were occupied by something else.

_I... I'll be outside. If-If you need anything._

The memory repeated in his head, torturing him with how much hurt was in Judy's voice.

Had he really hurt the bunny's feelings so badly? She seemed so much stronger than that! Where was the rabbit that said _no one tells me what I can or can't be_ and kicked killer attack bears in the head?

Except…

" _You can_ leave me alone!" _he snapped, sharp, predatory teeth flashing._

He _bared his teeth._ At _her._ After everything she had done for him. She saved his life on the street, then saved him from her corrupt supervisor, then she fed _and_ clothed him. Even when it was just a _doctor's exam,_ she had held his paw for no other reason than because he was scared. That brave, selfless rabbit had probably done more for him in the last two days than anyone else had done for him in the last _decade._

Ears back, Nick grit his teeth in a silent snarl, truly angry with himself. What a worthless, selfish _bastard_ he was! Tail lashing angrily, Nick fisted his paw and slammed it on the bench. So what if he was in a bad place emotionally? He had _no right_ to take it out on the only mammal he had ever met to treat him like a true friend.

The fox quickly reigned himself in, knowing that anger wouldn't do anyone any good. That didn't mean he didn't deserve his own ire, but moping about it wasn't going to make it up to Judy. He needed to find some way to-

"Move, Hopps!" A familiar voice thundered through the door, derailing Nick's train of thought.

Jerking up off the bench, Nick sat and stared at the door, ears twitching. That was Bogo! What did that protein shake poster child want?

"Sir, please, just let me go in and talk to him first!" That was Judy's voice. What was-

Wait, did Bogo want to come in here?

_Oh, crap!_

Nick dove for the pink t-shirt and began to struggle into it just as Bogo's voice once again boomed through the door, "I don't have time for this! Get out of the way!"

The door flew open just as Nick stood and tugged the hem of the shirt down over his chest. Bogo charged in with a full head of steam, stomping right up to the exam table.

"H-hey, big guy!" Nick said with an anxious smile, not able to hide how uncomfortable he was with having a _literal ton_ of pissed off police chief glaring down at him. Standing on the exam table didn't help, it just brought their faces closer. "What's up?"

"Show it to me," Bogo demanded.

"Ah ha ha," Nick laughed nervously, eyes darting around for an escape route. Funny how he hadn't really noticed there were no windows until just now. "Not sure what you mean."

" _Fox._ " Bogo's voice was distant thunder, low and deep and menacing.

"Wait!" Judy's voice interrupted. The rabbit jumped onto the bench before rushing to stand between Nick and her boss. She held up her paws placatingly. "Chief, please just give me a second to explain!"

Bogo glared down at Judy, looking even _more_ furious, if that were possible. "Explain _what,_ Hopps?! How _you_ let this _fox_ in here with a _**bioweapon?!**_ "

It felt like ice water was being poured down their spines. The rabbit and fox being yelled at wore nearly identical expressions of disbelief. "Bioweapon?" they echoed.

"What else would you call what Dr. Andes described?" Bogo asked, waving an arm behind him. The duo leaned over to look around him. Arlea stood by the door, her arms crossed.

"What happened to Doctor-Patient Confidentiality, doc?" Nick accused.

"I have a Doctorate of Science in EMS and Paramedicine. I'm actually a consultant for the ZPD. I volunteered to act as Medic on Duty at the precinct because I thought it ought to have one. I do not fall under any of Zootopia's Confidentiality or Patient Privacy laws," she explained curtly.

Betrayed again. It was a dark thing, the smile that curled Nick's muzzle.

Judy whirled to face Nick, panic written across her face. "I didn't know that! Nick, I'm sorry, I _swear_ I didn't know!"

Nick didn't answer for a tense few seconds. He seemed to mull over Judy's words, head tilting a few degrees back and forth. Finally, he looked down at Judy, his usual laid back smile plastered over his muzzle. "I believe you."

"That's nice, really. Touching," Bogo butted in, reminding the two he was still there. They turned back to face him, Judy still standing protectively in front of Nick. The buffalo snorted with impatience. "Now, _**show me!**_ "

"Sir-" Judy's attempt to ward off her boss was interrupted by a paw on her shoulder. She looked up to see Nick stepping around her.

Seeing the questions in her eyes, Nick explained, "Forget it, Carrots. He already knows."

Then, with no further explanation, he pulled his shirt over his head and turned, showing Bogo his back. The fox looked over his shoulder at the cape buffalo, wearing a sardonic smirk. "Pretty neat, huh?"

Bogo didn't reply. His face was a riot of emotions, none of them good. Nostrils flared erratically, lips twitched, cheeks jumped as jaw muscles flexed. He raised one arm, pointing a single, trembling, hoof-tipped finger at the abomination before him. Moments passed this way, everyone waiting with bated breath for the pressure to blow. No one really expected what happened next.

"Everyone out." Bogo commanded. Dr. Andes immediately turned and let herself out. Judy stood where she was, confused. Bogo turned to her, his face finally settled on his default stern expression. "Hopps, this room is now under quarantine. Get out."

She wanted to stay. "But, Chief-"

Nick reached out and brushed her arm with his paw. When she turned to face him, he gave her his best reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. Follow your orders."

Judy stared at Nick, unsure. She turned to look at Bogo. Her boss waved towards the door. She turned back to Nick.

The fox bobbed his head towards the door. "Go on."

Judy slowly dipped her head. She turned, jumped down from the table and started walking away. Bogo turned to follow after her. As they reached the door, Judy stood to the side so her boss could pull the door open. She took the opportunity to look back.

Nick stood on the table, back still to them. The fox had his head forward, so she couldn't see his expression. His back was straight, his paws on his hips. Even with the terrible wound, the fox looked strong.

Judy really hoped that he was.

Then she walked out the door.

* * *

AN: Many thanks to my main guys DrummerMax64 and... he keeps changing his name so I'm going to call him Whit. Whit is a cool name. You know who you are!

P.S. As I write this, Electric Eldritch Eidolon has 101 Reviews! Pretty neat, right?


	15. 'Tis Truth That Will Free You

After strict orders to Francine and Trunkaby that _no one_ was to go in _or_ out of the infirmary, Bogo walked Judy and Dr. Andes to the nearest conference room.

It looked a lot like the bullpen, down to the podium sitting at the front, though this one only had one door in or out of the room.

Bogo walked towards the front of the room, grabbing a chair and dragging it along as he went. He set it before the podium and turned it to face towards the rest of the room.

"Sit," the buffalo ordered, waving at the chairs nearest him. The two does complied. Judy took a seat across the aisle from Dr. Andes, deliberately putting some distance between them. Once the females were settled, Bogo sank into his own chair.

Turning to the deer, he dove right in, "Dr. Andes, does what I just saw pose a threat?"

"It's impossible to tell," the doctor answered. "It's not like anything I've ever seen before, or even heard of. The technology to create something like this doesn't exist, not even in theory. It could be a bomb, or a cocoon, or an alien mind control device. I don't know. I _can't_ know. Before I saw it with my own eyes, I would have said such a thing was pure fantasy."

"But it exists, so _someone_ made it," Bogo pointed out.

That seemed to stump the doctor. She shrugged her shoulders, a helpless expression across her face. "Then they made it in secret, and have been doing so for _decades._ This kind of technology couldn't have been developed quickly."

For a few moments, Bogo glared contemplatively at the wall. "Hopps."

Judy twitched, straightening in her seat. "Chief."

"You've spent the most time with him," Bogo said, turning to face her. "Is there any indication that he's dangerous? Anything that might indicate motives or plans."

"No," Judy said, firmly. "There has been no sign of malicious behavior. He's as scared and confused as us."

"Are you _sure?_ " Bogo pressed, leaning towards Judy. He still towered over her, even while seated.

The bunny was unaffected and spoke confidently. "I'm sure."

Bogo glared at her, searching her face for any signs that she was holding something back. Satisfied that there were none to be found, the buffalo straightened in his seat. "Good. Is there anything I should know?"

He looked from doe to doe, waiting for a reply. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Very well. Since you two have had extended contact, you both are to remain in this room. Understand?"

"Yes, Chief," both females replied.

"I'll be back soon," he said as he stood. Then he walked out of the room. As the door shut behind him, a tense silence fell.

Judy, never one to be quiet in the face of injustice, broke the silence. "What you did was wrong," she said, staring at the wall.

Arlea's ear swiveled toward Judy, followed by the rest of her head. The deer looked confused. "Excuse me?"

"What you did was wrong!" Judy spoke out, louder than before. She turned to glare across the aisle at the deer. "Nick showed you something, even though he was _terrified,_ and you broke his trust!"

Dr. Andes' confused look shifted into cool indifference. "I had to. That thing is a danger to everyone. Chief Bogo _had_ to know."

"You could have _asked,_ " Judy shot back, slapping her paw on the table. "We could have worked it out so Bogo knew without _betraying a victim under the protection of the ZPD._ "

"You mean _your_ protection," the deer corrected. She turned away with a huff. "You're just embarrassed because you failed to do your job," she said haughtily.

"You're right!" Judy agreed. Arlea turned back to the rabbit, both eyebrows raised. "I am _mortified._ And you should be, too! What you did was _beyond_ shameful."

The raised brows lowered, Dr. Andes glaring at Judy for the first time. "I will not be lectured by a self-righteous _child._ "

"And _I_ will not be _talked down to_ by a _pretend doctor_ with a broken moral compass!" Judy yelled back, pointing at the deer and stomping her foot for emphasis.

The two glared at each other for a long, tense few seconds before looking away with identical huffs of disgust.

* * *

"What is this thing!?" Bogo stood over his desk with phone in hoof, looking as peeved as ever.

"... _I'm sorry, Chief Bogo. I don't know what you mean_ ," came Agent Savage's voice through the speaker.

"Don't give me that! A freak of nature rolls into _MY PRECINCT,_ and _your agency_ is there, demanding to have it! Don't tell me you don't know what it is!"

" _I really don't- What're you- Hey!_ " A brief struggle sounded over the phone. A new voice came on. Bogo recognized it as that sniveling dwarf of a wolf, Roughpaw. " _Did you look at it?!"_

"Of course I looked at it!" Bogo yelled, affronted. "If something like that comes through _MY PRECINCT,_ I am going to know!"

" _How many know?!_ " she demanded.

Bogo glared at the wall, not willing to put up with _any_ upstarts making demands of _him._ "Roughpaw, you better-"

" _NO!_ " the previously spineless Ruby interrupted, surprising Bogo. " _Listen! Tell me how many mammals know before you put more lives at risk!_ "

Bogo's scowl didn't relax, though it now had a thoughtful, cautious twist. "Three."

" _Keep it that way!_ " Ruby ordered. " _We'll be there in twenty minutes!_ "

_**Click!** _

The Chief of Police pulled the handset away to stare at it in disbelief. She hung up on him! Glaring, Bogo slapped the handset back in its cradle harder than was probably wise. He placed both hooves on his desk, snorting his way through several deep breaths.

Once he was calm, he stood and turned. His steps were deliberate as he left the office. He had twenty minutes to prepare.

* * *

Clawhauser stood behind the reception desk at rigid attention, his whiskers twitching nervously. His eyes wandered aimlessly over his desk for a few seconds before he raised them to the source of his discomfort.

Chief Bogo stood in the center of the atrium. Arms crossed, he glared at the front door like he expected every mammal on Zootopia's Most Wanted to come traipsing in. The dark aura he exuded had every mammal in the busy room avoiding him, creating an island of calm in the otherwise hectic environment.

Clawhauser, unfortunately, was the only mammal trapped in the room with the foreboding bovine. Everyone else could come and go, but the portly cheetah had to stay behind the Front Desk. He wondered, for the second or third time in the last five minutes, if the rumors about Bogo's impending mental breakdown had finally come to fruition. He hoped not. He didn't think he had the stomach to witness some poor mammal's grisly demise at the more than capable hooves of his boss.

Something changed. Bogo's arms dropped and he began to walk forward, eyes intent. Clawhauser craned his neck to see what poor soul was about to shuffle their mortal coil. To his surprise, it was the suits from earlier.

Jack Savage and Ruby Roughpaw stood just inside the main entrance. Clawhauser watched with undisguised interest as Bogo met with them and they exchanged a few brief words, none of which Clawhauser could hear over the noise of all of the other mammals in the room. Then the trio turned and began walking deeper into the station, a path that took them by the Front Desk.

The friendly receptionist relaxed as he realized there would be no violence. Instead, he turned his head to watch them go by, not bothering to hide his curiosity.

Once they were out of sight, Clawhauser cocked his head, face thoughtful and a little worried. If not impending violence, what could have his boss so worked up?

* * *

Bogo marched into the conference room, Jack and Ruby trailing behind. If he noticed the tense atmosphere surrounding Judy and Arlea as he went up the aisle, he gave no sign.

As the Chief of Police took his place behind the podium, Jack and Ruby came to a stop in the aisle between Judy and Arlea. Judy took the chance to look them over again. She noticed right away that their postures were different. Gone was the buck's slightly slouched posture and bored face. Now he stood straight, ears alert and eyes focused. The she-wolf also looked different. Just as serious as before, but now she definitely looked more determined. Judy also noticed she was carrying a new binder.

Ruby looked around and counted three mammals besides herself and Savage. "I assume these are the other two witnesses?"

Bogo looked put out, but he grudgingly nodded. "Yes."

"Good," Ruby replied, approaching the chair Bogo had placed before the podium. She laid her binder across the seat, opened it, and took out three sheets of paper. "Before we go any further, each of you will sign one of these. Actually," she said, glancing at Jack, "you too, Savage."

She retrieved a fourth document and handed them out to everyone present. Everyone began to scan them, with Bogo and Arlea donning reading glasses. Judy was the first to notice something strange about the document. "This doesn't say what I'm signing for. It just says 'I agree to adhere to FNDA 4.6692.' What does that mean?"

Everyone turned to face Ruby, who sighed and turned back to her binder. She grabbed something and turned around. Everyone's eyes widened at the thick ream of paper she held. It had to be five hundred pages thick.

The small she-wolf began to explain. "Federal Non-Disclosure Agreement, Series 4, Form 6692. This document covers every form of communication possible and forbids every single one. It also gives the government free reign to monitor you to make sure you abide by the agreement."

Judy, Jack and Arlea were taken aback. Bogo skipped that step and went straight to denial.

"I will not agree to anything so absurd!" the burly buffalo shouted.

Ruby spun to face him, a scowl on her face. "You will sign or be charged with treason!"

Jack, being a seasoned lawyer, spoke out almost reflexively. "That's illegal!"

Ruby spun again, her scowl ratcheting up as she grit her teeth. "Listen, guy, that's not my problem!"

"There is _no way_ -!" Judy lost track of what Jack was saying, the doe suddenly enveloped in memory.

* * *

_She was back in the ambulance._

_One of the ill-fated paramedics, a roe buck named Rayburn, was telling her something. "They want us to go to Zootopia General."_

_Past-Judy's brow scrunched up as she thought about what that meant. "Won't that take longer?"_

" _Yup," the deer confirmed, turning back to the microphone in his hoof. "Central, that will add twenty-five minutes to our ETA. Rainforest Medical can take care of this patient," he argued._

_A now-familiar voice answered from the radio. Ruby's voice. "Sorry, guy, that's not my problem!"_

* * *

Judy came back to the present with a silent gasp. She stared at Ruby in wide-eyed shock.

_She was the one!_ _**She** _ _lead us into the ambush!_

Judy opened her mouth, ready to expose the she-wolf. But an even more horrifying realization stopped her cold. If the red-furred she-wolf worked for the government, then so did the team that attacked the ambulance. The same team that murdered Bartlett and Rayburn, the paramedics.

She instantly made the connection to Nick. Whatever was in his chest, _her government_ was willing to _murder its own citizens_ to acquire it.

Fear made her heart pound. If Judy tried to expose them, what would they do to keep her quiet? They had already proven they would kill to achieve their goals. What else were they capable of? By speaking out, she might put everyone in the precinct in danger.

The rabbit officer's mind raced, her eyes darting around the room as she looked for a solution. They landed on Bogo.

_Of course! The Chief will know what to do!_

The question was, how to tell him? She couldn't very well blurt it out in front of the government agents, right?

"Listen, you little cretin. This document covers everything you need to know, including its own legality," Ruby said, a truly fed up look on her face.

"Show me where!" Jack demanded, outraged, clearly caught up in the argument.

Judy watched the two bickering agents with some chagrin. Maybe she _could_ blurt out whatever she wanted.

Still, better to be careful. Judy slipped off her chair and ducked under the table (which didn't actually require her to duck her head at all, it was so tall) and slipped behind the podium.

Bogo glanced down as he felt a tap on his knee. Judy stood by his legs, looking up at him with a finger over her lips. The sheer urgency on her face gave Bogo pause.

Judy waved him down. After a quick check to make sure Ruby and Jack were still occupied with their dispute, Bogo crouched down. When that still wasn't close enough for Judy's liking, she waved him down more. The buffalo sank to his knees, then used both arms to lower himself to Judy's level.

Judy, knowing that Jack, as a rabbit, would have hearing just as good as hers, walked right into Bogo's personal space and basically whispered in his ear. "Sir, Agent Roughpaw was complicit in the attack on the ambulance."

Bogo's ears flicked in surprise, his head tilting so he could look at Judy out of the corner of his eye. "How can you be sure?" he asked, his voice a gravelly whisper.

"She was the radio operator that led us into the ambush. I didn't realize it at first because of the radio interference, but just now she said 'Not my problem' _exactly_ like the operator! Now I'm sure they are the same mammal!" Judy whispered fervently.

But Bogo didn't look convinced. "That's thin, Hopps. I need more than that."

Judy stepped back so she could look her boss in the eye. "Chief, I'm _sure._ I'd stake _my life_ on it," she pushed, her paws clenched before her chest.

The buffalo shook his huge head. "Not good enough."

"But, sir, what if I'm right? What if the murders at the pier and the ambulance were the work of the government?"

Bogo took a second to think that through. His face darkened as he worked out all of the implications. "Then we do as they ask. We sign the forms."

Judy was blown away. _Never_ would she have thought that _her boss,_ the single most uncompromising animal she had ever met, would give in to murderers. "How can you say that?"

Bogo was stone-faced as he explained. "If whatever is in that fox is important enough for our government to kill over, then standing in their way will only invite more casualties. We can't stand against the federal government. It would be foolish to try."

Judy's ears wilted as she realized what that meant. "What about Nick? They'll take him."

Bogo didn't hesitate. "And we'll let them."

"You can't mean that," Judy denied, leaning in until she was nose to nose with the one ton male. "He's a citizen under your protection!"

What he said next struck to the very core of Judy's being. "He's a petty street hustler with no family. No one will care when he's gone."

"What are you doing?!" A loud voice intruded on their conversation. Bogo tilted his head to look around Judy. Ruby stepped around the podium, glaring suspiciously.

"I was just explaining to my officer that she would do as her government asks," Bogo explained as he pushed himself up and stood to his full height. He turned his head to look at Jack. "That is, if everyone can agree on what that is?"

The buck was on top of a table, kneeling over the copy of FNDA 4.6692. He didn't look up as he replied, still scanning a page intently. "The document is legal," he sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms grumpily. "In the most _technical_ sense of the word."

"Please explain…"

As the rest of the room carried on, a certain bunny stood with her head down, ears drooped over her eyes. Judy found herself in crisis. Ever since she was old enough to understand what the phrase meant, she told everyone who would listen that she wanted to be a police officer. And she meant it. She meant it even when her parents said it would be too hard. She meant it _especially_ when Gideon said she would never be anything but a carrot farmer.

" _No one will care when he's gone._ "

Now, she wasn't sure. If _Chief Bogo_ , the one mammal that most thought epitomized what it meant to be police, could be so cruel…

Maybe she didn't want to be an officer anymore.

No, that wasn't right. She _did_ want to be a cop. Not for the uniform or the badge or the accolades, though all of those were wonderful. It was because she wanted to make the world a better place.

She wanted to put her mark on the world, and she wanted it to be a shining example of what everyone should strive for.

Now, she was faced with a choice. Give up and allow evil to win, or stand up and do something about it.

Unseen by everyone else in the room, Judy raised her head. Her ears lifted, her jaw set, and her shoulders squared. Determination shone from her eyes like a beacon.

* * *

Bogo, Dr. Andes, and Ruby, who stood on a chair, stood around Jack as the rabbit explained the more pertinent details of the agreement Ruby wanted them to sign. The buck was still on the table, kneeling over the document so he could point out specific parts of the contract as he explained them.

"Alright, final summary. You can't tell anyone about what you saw. You also cannot create any record of what you saw, and any existing records must be handed over to be destroyed. You also give the federal government permission to monitor you in order to enforce this contract. Any breach of this contract is considered an act of sedition and you will be tried for treason. Everyone get it?" Jack looked around to make sure.

"I understand," Arlea said. Bogo just gave a terse nod.

"Finally," Ruby said with a roll of her eyes. She pushed the small stack of agreements forward. "Everyone take one.

The rabbit, the deer and the buffalo complied, each grabbing a sheet. Ruby frowned as she realized she had one left. "You, too, rabbit!" she said, looking around.

Jack looked up from his half-done signature, face cross. "I have one!"

"Not _you._ The other one," Ruby shot back, still looking around.

Bogo called out without looking up from his own form. "Hopps! Take a sheet."

No reply.

The buffalo paused. "Hopps?"

Silence.

Bogo, as well as everyone else, began to glance around.

Judy was missing.

Panic was beginning to set in for Ruby. "Where is she?!" The she-wolf jumped down from her chair and ran to check behind the podium, the last place she had seen Judy for sure.

Jack followed her with his gaze, which is why he noticed that something else was missing. "Where's the binder?"

"What do you _mean_ 'where's-?'" Ruby ran back around the podium to check on the chair Bogo left next to it, the same one Ruby had left her very important binder on. The short wolf came up short when she realized the chair was now empty.

Bogo knew right away what must have happened. "HOPPS!"

* * *

Judy tore down the hallway, Ruby's binder clutched awkwardly under one arm. While the binder was smaller than most in the precinct, being made to fit wolf-sized mammals, that still made it more than a little unwieldy for the rabbit-sized Judy. Still, she would make do.

The rabbit officer, though probably not an officer for much longer, she realized, stopped just before she would have made the turn to the hallway that would lead her to the infirmary.

_Oh, cucumbers, I forgot about the elephants._

Judy slunk up to the corner. Then she bobbed her head out and back again. She winced as she realized, _yep, they're still there._

The doe leaned against the wall, chewing her lip as she frantically thought of a solution.

Go up and tell them they were needed elsewhere?

No, too suspicious. They'll radio ahead and discover the lie.

Sneak past them?

With open hallway on either side, there wouldn't be any cover.

Trick them into leaving on their own?

...well, ok. How?

Distraction!

What kind of distraction? Anything too ordinary would only pull one of them away to investigate, or they would just radio for backup.

So, what would draw both of them away?

Judy's recent police training provided the answer. The one scenario most likely to get a cop to drop everything and run was another cop in trouble.

A plan forming in her mind, Judy looked around for a place to hide. A plaque advertising a ladies bathroom a little ways down the hall grabbed her attention.

Judy didn't even wait for the door to close behind her before she started checking the stalls for occupants. Once she was sure she was alone, she dropped the binder on the 'Small Mammals' counter, took out her phone, then searched for and downloaded a certain app. While it was loading, she took out her radio and set it to broadcast on a certain pachyderm's personal frequency.

She watched her phone anxiously as the progress bar filled in. Thankfully, it only took a few seconds. After a brief welcome logo, the screen was populated with several different types of firearms.

Judy hit the transmit button. "Francine, help!" she shouted, really trying to sound frantic. It was pretty easy, considering how stressed she was just then. "Armed mammal in the conference room-!" Putting her phone right up to the radio, she tapped the depiction of a menacing looking assault rifle.

**Tat-tat-tatatat!**

The phone spewed forth the sound of automatic fire, deafeningly loud in the otherwise silent bathroom.

A response came in less than a second. "HOPPS! HOPPS, RESPOND!" Judy's heart ached as she heard the real fear in her comrade's voice. Still, she didn't respond, letting the silence do the work for her.

It was only a few seconds later when Judy felt the ground shake beneath her feet. It grew and faded as something huge went running past her door, then again as another went by. Judy waited as long as she could stand for the two elephants' thudding footsteps to fade away. Then she dropped her phone and radio on the counter, grabbed the binder and ran for the door.

* * *

Nick was walking towards the door, about to knock and demand to know what all the noise was about, when the door suddenly swung open. It would have hit him if he hadn't stepped back when he noticed the knob turning.

To his surprise, a frantic looking Judy Hopps came barreling into the room, skidding to a halt just before she would have crashed into him. Nick looked down at her, nonplussed. "Carrots-"

"No time!" she shouted, cutting him off. She tossed the binder to him. "Hold this!"

While the fox fumbled with the binder, Judy raced into the room. She made a beeline for the plastic bag she had dropped off that morning.

Nick got a hold of the binder and held it up, eyebrows raised. "Hopps, what is-?"

"Put this on!" A bundle of cloth smacked him in the head, once again cutting him off. Judy caught up with it less than a second later, dropping the plastic bag as she went. She snatched the binder from his paws and ran for the door.

Nick pulled the bundle from his face, watching with complete befuddlement as Judy stuck her head out and anxiously scanned the hallway. He idly noted that the cloth he was holding was actually a gray zip-up hoodie. "Judy, what's going on?"

Judy turned back to him, her face grave. "Do you trust me?"

For once in his life, Nick didn't hesitate to answer that question truthfully. "Of course. One hundred percent."

"Then trust me when I say we need to move _now._ " Judy lunged forward, grabbed Nick's wrist and dragged him out the door.

* * *

AN: Shout out to my main fixers DrummerMax64 and Whit. Thanks for keeping all the technical details straight.

An honorable mention for my friend Chesterization. His support means a lot to me.

P.S. Still looking for betas and coauthors. If you would like to have a hand in the making of this story, say so in a PM.


	16. Young Dogs Can Fall For Old Tricks

They didn't even make it down the hall before the alarms went off. Nick ducked down, startled by the noise. Holding the bunched up hoodie over one ear to block out _some_ of the sound, he eyed a flashing light set on the wall near the ceiling labeled 'EVAC'. "Carrots! Whats going on?!" he called out over the piercing wail of the alarm.

The pair came to a halt as they reached a tee junction. Judy answered as she cautiously peeked both ways, her voice an urgent whisper barely heard over the noise. "Not enough time. I'll tell you when it's safe. Come on!"

The bunny took off, once again dragging the fox along by his wrist. He pumped his legs as hard as he could to keep up, the paw still clutching the hoodie swinging back and forth.

Nick was getting a little peeved with getting dragged around without knowing the reason why. "Rabbit, make time! What's going on?"

"They're here to take you!" Judy answered loudly, not looking back.

If he weren't being dragged along, Nick would have stopped out of surprise. Since he _was_ being dragged along, he stumbled, only just managing to keep his feet under his tail. " _Take me?!_ " he parroted, completely ignoring his near face plant, "Who's trying to take me?!" The most obvious culprit popped into his mind, his chest aching just from the memory. "Is it the wolf?"

"Yes! I mean no! She's _a wolf_ but she's not _the wolf,_ she _works_ with-" Judy cut off her rambling with a shake of her head. "Never mind! I'll tell you later, just be quiet! Please!" The panicked, pleading look she shot him over her shoulder convinced Nick to do as she asked, though he did so grudgingly.

Another tee section brought them to a halt. Judy stuck her head out, only to immediately pull it back. She pressed herself to the wall, her face alarmed. Nick knew from her expression alone what he was probably going to see, but he still leaned past her to check anyway.

A variety of mammals in lab coats and office wear were filing out through an emergency exit in a slightly rushed but otherwise orderly line. The rather total lack of anyone wearing a uniform marked the group as consisting of only the civilian lab technicians and office workers that made up the support staff at the precinct.

Nick leaned back, shooting the panicking Judy a confused look. "Those are working stiffs, not mercenaries with guns. What's got you so worked up?"

"We're not supposed to be here!" Judy whispered fiercely. "I took you away against orders!"

Nick blinked, the gears in his brain slipping under the weight of her words. Since he honestly couldn't process her second statement, he instead focused on the first. "Do _they_ know that?"

The panic stalled as Judy tried to figure out the question. Seeing the befuddled look on her face, Nick shook his head with a sigh. Shaking out the hoodie he still held, he spoke as he put in one arm, then the other. "Officer, escort me out."

Judy turned to stare at him like he was out of his mind. " _What?_ "

"You don't want to draw any attention, right?" Nick asked, his focus on the hoodie's zipper. He pulled the tab up to his neck as he continued, completely hiding the garish pink shirt Judy gifted him. "Then walk me out of here just like any cop would during a fire drill. Now, Officer Hopps," he turned and presented his elbow, relaxed posture and easygoing smile radiating confidence, "Please escort me out."

Judy stared, paralysed with indecision. Could it really be that easy?

 _There's no time for anything else!_ her inner voice reminded. _You have to go!_

Mind made up, Judy straightened. Schooling her features as best she could, she grabbed Nick's elbow and began to pull him along. As the duo walked down the hallway they kept to an urgent walk, a pace appropriate for an officer escorting a civilian out during a drill.

Though it was only a few yards, the walk to the door seemed to go on for miles for Judy. Her heart hammered in her chest so hard it felt like it was beating against her ribs. Her eyes darted back and forth, looking for danger to spring out at her from any direction. Her ears twitched and twisted, every little sound seeming like the one that marked their end. Her entire body was tense, her grip on the binder so tight that the edges warped under paw.

Nick, by comparison, was cool as a cucumber and twice as relaxed. He tucked his spare paw into his hoodie and let himself be dragged along. The fox's face was bored and maybe just a little miffed, like many of the other mammals filing out of the emergency exit.

Despite all of Judy's certainty that they were going to be caught, nothing happened. The pair approached the line and an antelope stopped long enough to let them into the queue.

As the pair walked through the door, it felt like a huge weight lifted off Judy's shoulders. As soon as they were outside, the duo peeled away from the stream of other mammals. As they began to make good on their escape, Judy relaxed, hope springing up in her chest. They were going to make it!

"Hopps?" Or not. Judy's shoulders bunched as she stopped and turned towards the voice. Nick turned and looked too, wondering why they weren't just running for it.

Wolford was standing behind the door, holding it open for all of the evacuating mammals. He didn't look hostile, just confused.

" _He-_ Mm!" Judy's voice came out as a high-pitched squeak, which she covered with a closed mouth cough. Then she tried again. "Wolford," she greeted, her voice mostly normal.

Wolves were excellent judges of character, and could often tell when other animals were under duress. Police trained wolves were even better, spending years practicing and honing their natural talents. Wolford tilted his head curiously, brows drawn together, wondering why his 'Stress-O-Meter' was going haywire when he focused on the bunny standing a few feet away.

"You- ah- You know what's going on?" He stuttered a bit, a little thrown off by the sheer intensity of Judy's current state.

Judy spoke slowly, trying not to give anything away with a careless slip of the tongue. "No, sorry. I just got the evac order over the radio. I don't know either."

Wolford's head tilted the other way and his ears twitched. Something didn't sound right. "Well, could you radio in and ask?"

"Um…" Judy delayed, mind racing. "You don't have a radio?" she asked lamely.

"No, I was on break and left mine inside." Wolford squinted at her suspiciously. "Hopps, what's going on with you?"

On the outside, Nick was as confident and relaxed as ever as he watched Judy dig them into an ever deeper hole. On the inside, he was screaming.

_How can anyone be so bad at this!? We should've never stopped walking! 'Sorry, Wolfy, gotta go!' and we'd be gone! Ninety-nine percent chance he wouldn't have followed us! This is-!_

And so it went, the fox listing every way this could have gone better if only Judy weren't such a dumb bunny. The fact that he couldn't actually tell her any of this without giving away everything only made it more galling.

"Nothing!" she denied way too quickly, making Nick's eye twitch as his inner monologue exploded with reasons as to why that was _exactly the wrong thing to do!_ "Nothing's going on with me! Hey, you wanted me to radio in, right?"

The sudden change of tack only increased Wolford's suspicion, alarms that had nothing to do with the evacuation ringing in his head. They only increased when Judy left the fox's side to approach him. She stood before him with a way-too-sunny smile on her face, then shoved the binder she was holding into his face. "Please hold this!"

Thrown by the sudden request, the wolf numbly took the binder with his free paw. "Okay, but-"

_**Click!** _

Wolford lowered the binder from his face to look down at his other paw. To his astonishment, one side of a shiny set of cuffs was around his wrist, the other end latched around the sturdy steel half-moon door handle of the emergency exit door.

Judy snatching the binder back broke him out of his stupor. The wolf reflexively swiped at the bunny, but she skipped out of reach. He tried to follow, but the cuff around his wrist stopped him.

Judy stopped a few feet away, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, Wolford." Then she turned, hurried back to her companion and touched his elbow. "Run."

As the pair raced off, Wolford desperately began to rifle through his pockets for his keys. He froze when he remembered he had left those on his desk. Right next to his radio. The canine cop looked up, just catching sight of the duo as they disappeared around a corner. The wolf's face screwed up with pained resignation. "Bogo's going to skin me for this."

* * *

Police Chief Bogo burst into the infirmary, eyes wildly flitting about as he searched for the fox. Of course, all he found was an abandoned office. Snorting in fury, the buffalo turned and stomped from the room.

He found Francine and Trunkaby waiting nervously in the hall, as well as about twelve other officers that had been in the precinct that day. They shifted and murmured amongst one another, confused and anxious.

Bogo closed his eyes and drew himself up, using his iron will to master his ire and direct it towards purposeful action.

When his eyes opened, they burned with his intense focus. "Judy Hopps has gone rogue."

The hallway was suddenly silent, for about a second, then suddenly loud as everyone began to speak at once.

"That's crazy!"

"I knew we couldn't trust a rodent."

"Rogue _how?_ "

" **QUIET!** " Everyone fell deathly silent, all of them staring at Bogo. He turned his head to look at the officers, his eyes demanding their unquestioning obedience. All of them complied. "I'll explain later. Right now, we need to take action. You!" He waved to all the mammals on his right, the most notable and high-ranking officer among them being Fangmeyer. "Sweep the building! Look for Hopps and her accomplice, a male red fox."

"YES, SIR!" Six burly mammals replied as one.

As they took off down the hall, Fangmeyer already splitting them into pairs and assigning floors, Bogo turned to the six mammals on his left. "You lot get to the cruisers and start searching. Check the hard-to-reach places especially, her accomplice has extensive knowledge of the area."

"YES, SIR!" Six more officers cried out, turning and running towards the car lot without wasting a second.

"As for you two…" Bogo began, turning towards Francine and Trunkaby, who both stood at perfect attention, though neither could exactly look their boss in the eye. "Get on the horn. I want every precinct from here to Happytown looking for those two. Then get in a cruiser and join the search."

"YES, SIR!" the two replied, just as loud as any six of their comrades. They turned to carry out their orders, but stopped when their boss called out to them.

"Francine. Trunkaby." Once the two pachyderms were looking at him again, Bogo glared them down. His intense stare made the two largest animals in the precinct feel like the smallest. "We _will_ be discussing appropriate emergency responses. _Soon._ "

The two slowly nodded their heads. "Yes, sir," they said, considerably more subdued than before. They turned as one and trotted off.

Bogo watched them go. As they turned the corner that would take them back to the central offices, he noticed two familiar suits were standing in the hall, watching him with grave expressions. Grunting in annoyance, Bogo started to make his way towards the mammals that were currently competing for the top spots on his 'Worst Pains in the Neck' list.

"Excuse me, Chief Bogo?" a sweet, feminine voice called from behind.

Expertly hiding his annoyance at being called on _again_ , Bogo turned around.

A pretty twenty-something spotted deer in a pink ruffled blouse and black knee length skirt stood before him. She was fiddling with her shirt's frilly collar with one hoof, the other hidden behind her back. In spite of her obvious nerves, she kept her amber eyes on Bogo's dark browns. "Chief Bogo, you might not remember me, but-"

Bogo interrupted, not having the time just then to waste on petty social decorum, "Your name is Aura Hart. You work in Acquisitions. You were hired two years ago in June. I'm sorry Ms. Hart, but I'm in the middle of an emergency. If your situation isn't dire, I need you to evacuate the building with everyone else." He raised one huge arm to point down the hall, in the direction of the nearest exit.

"W-Well," Aura stuttered a bit, truly shocked by the fact Bogo knew her name. She didn't think he knew she existed! "It's kind of dire. I mean, no one's in danger, but…" She trailed off, wilting under Bogo's impatient stare. She ducked her head, eyes down and to the side. "Do you have a cuff key I could borrow?"

Bogo's arm fell limply to his side, his face deadpan. "Excuse me?"

* * *

The hour was growing late, the setting sun casting everything in a beautiful dichotomy of warm light and long shadows.

Though, the situation that was developing outside of one ZPD Emergency Exit was a little too tense for those near it to notice such things.

"Ahaha! Chief Bogo!" Shoulders hunched and tail firmly between his legs, Wolford grinned nervously up at his boss. The buffalo stood over him, beefy arms crossed and a dark glare on his face.

The cape buffalo took in the scene. One of his most reliable cops, cuffed to a door in front of dozens of witnesses. A situation that would never have happened if the wolf had his equipment on him, as he should have while he was on the clock.

Usually, the buffalo would have stood there for minutes, torturing the foolish officer with unbearable silence. Now, they were racing against the clock to capture two fugitives before they could disappear.

"Where did they go?" he demanded.

Wolford instantly raised his paw, pointing off to the right. "North. Towards Downtown. Sir."

"Hm." Bogo grunted, turning to scan the crowd of evacuated employees that milled about, most either watching the drama developing by the door or pretending they weren't. Then he turned back to Wolford. "Get these civilians inside. The evacuation is over. Then come to my office."

Even though he knew it was coming, actually hearing that he was being ordered to Bogo's office still hurt. Wolford grimaced, eyes squeezing shut as though he was in actual, physical pain.

Reaching into one of his pockets, Bogo pulled out a keyring with three keys on it. He turned to disappear inside, carelessly tossing the keys at the trapped wolf as he went.

Wolford jerked as the keys hit his chest. His eyes flew open as both paws instinctively jumped to catch them. But his left paw stopped halfway, held back by the cuffs still locked around the door handle. The sudden jerk threw him off. He grabbed at the keys with his right paw, but they slipped out of his grasp. They hit the pavement with a dull clink.

A little embarrassed by his goof, he looked around to see if anyone had noticed. He was a little miffed to realize all fifty or so of his civilian co-workers were watching. Feeling his ears grow uncomfortably warm, he dropped his gaze. Spotting the keys, he crouched down to grab them, grumbling all the while.

"Mom wanted me to run the deli, but _no_ , I had to be a _cop_. Gonna be a _hero_. Make everyone _proud…_ "

He reached out to grab the keys, but pulled his paw back when someone stepped next to them. The wolf looked up, a little surprised to see the pretty deer that had volunteered to run for help, haloed by the warm red glow of the setting sun.

Aura smiled at the gray timber wolf before gracefully kneeling down. Wolford watched, ears perked, as she grabbed the keys and held them out to him. "Sorry," she said, her smile apologetic and embarrassed. "I think I got you in trouble."

Wolford smiled back, though it was a little subdued. "Don't worry," he said as he gently took the keys from her grip. "That was always going to happen. It's what I get for screwing up." He shot a glance over her shoulder, prompting her to turn and look at her many co-workers still milling around, more than a few blatantly watching their interaction. "Just wish it didn't have to be in front of the whole precinct."

Aura turned back to face him, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Ooh, sorry. Anything I can do?"

"Yeah," Wolford grunted as he stood. Aura followed his example, rising silently to her full height, a few inches shorter than the wolf in front of her. "Would you mind telling everyone to head inside? The evacuation is over."

"Sure," she said with a smile. She started to turn away.

"Wait," Wolford called out, grabbing the doe's attention. Wolford smiled and, after quickly pocketing the keys, held his paw out. "Thanks for helping me out. I appreciate it."

The spotted deer placed a dainty hoof in the wolf's much larger paw. "It was my pleasure, Officer…?" She ran her eyes over his chest, looking for some kind of tag, but there wasn't one to be found.

"Michael Wolford. I've seen you around, but I've never gotten your name."

"It's Aura Hart. Nice to meet you," she said with a beatific smile.

Wolford felt his ears warming again, but this time he didn't mind. "Nice to meet you, too."

He realized with a start that he was still holding her hoof. He quickly let go, pulling his paw back to nervously scratch the back of his neck.

Aura just smiled at the suddenly bashful wolf. "I'll see you around, Michael." Then she turned and trotted over to her colleagues.

Wolford watched as she began to direct the others back inside, a smile across his muzzle. "Yeah, see you around."

* * *

Bogo and the two agents stood in the hall. The employees of the precinct streamed in behind them, creating a constant white noise of muttering, gossiping and the clack of hooves on tile.

"Well?" Ruby asked, her voice pitched with desperation poorly disguised as anger. "Are you going to find them or not?"

Bogo stared hard, a revelation blooming behind his eyes. This she-wolf's interest was too intense to be motivated by something like career climbing or good standing. She was afraid of something. "My subordinates are the finest officers Zootopia has to offer. But the city is huge and Hopps and Wilde are small, intelligent and motivated. The chances of finding them are, at best, fifty-fifty."

Something flashed across Ruby's face, something Bogo might have missed if he weren't looking for it. Fear. "That's not good enough!" she said, loudly. "You _have_ to find them!"

"We are doing our best," Bogo said, voice level. "But that doesn't change the facts. The longer they elude us, the harder they will be to catch."

When it looked like Ruby would continue to berate Bogo, Jack stepped in. He placed a paw on her elbow. When she turned to look at him, the striped buck gave her a significant look. "Let me handle this."

Ruby glared, but when Jack didn't back down, she let herself be guided back so the buck could step forward and continue the discussion in her place. The comparatively tiny rabbit looked fearlessly up at the huge-even-for-his-kind cape buffalo. "Chief Bogo, what can you tell us?"

"That we have to start considering long term strategies right now," he answered firmly. "Setting up tip hotlines; putting their faces on the news; monitoring friends and family; searching all traffic going out of Zootopia. The sooner we start, the harder it will be for them to escape."

"I see," Jack answered diplomatically. "Let me talk to my boss about getting the Bureau's support. The more resources, the better."

Ruby was shifting uncomfortably, not sure if she should support all of this. One of the greatest tenets of her mission was secrecy. The more mammals that knew, the greater the risk of something getting out. It was time to seek guidance. She stepped forward and laid a paw over Jack's shoulder, gaining both males' attention. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a business card, one with 'Skroop' scrawled across the back. She said, "Actually, I think we should call _my_ boss."

* * *

AN: Thanks DrummerMax64 for fixing up my grammar, syntax, punctuation, etc.

And thanks Chesterization for that fun brainstorming session. I can't wait to show everyone some of our ideas!

Some of you have asked about Savage and its aborted successor, Evolved. That particular story will be taken up again once I have completed EEE. So, its not dead, but it definitely won't be continuing soon.

P.S. Still looking for betas and coauthors. If you would like to have a hand in the making of this story, say so in a PM.


	17. Simply, A Dark Place

Judy and Nick ran for about a block before Nick waved them into an alley. The fox brought them to a stop behind a stack of pallets, which was about as private as they were going to get on the streets of City Center.

The fox didn't waste any time, grabbing Judy by the shoulders and demanding, "Who are we running from?"

Judy, knowing time was of the essence, went for the quick answer. "Everyone. That's why we have to keep moving!" She tried to pull out of his grip, but Nick held her firm.

"Running without thinking is-!" Nick cut himself off before he could get carried away. Time was ticking. "Do you have a plan?"

Judy wished the answer was different. "No."

Nick pressed his lips into a thin line, looking more resigned than panicked. "...Well, I do. Follow me."

He released her shoulders, turned, and began to run down the alley. Judy soon caught up. They exited the alley into a larger one, dotted with trash cans and dumpsters. As they ran, Nick glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Ditch your phone," he ordered.

"Already did. Radio, too," she replied.

"Good." Another glance caught the binder she currently held under one arm. "Is that important?"

Judy glanced down at it, then back up. "It's evidence. All I could get."

"Do we need it?"

"Won't know until I can look at it."

Reaching the end of the alley, they came to a halt and looked out into the street beyond. While not quite as busy as rush hour, this part of the city was always bustling. Dozens of mammals walked by, varying in species and garb such that it seemed like you could watch for hours and not see any two alike.

Spotting another alley across the street, Judy made to run to it. Nick clamped a paw on her shoulder, bringing her up short. She looked up at him, something cross on the tip of her tongue. Whatever she was going to say died when she saw how intently he was watching the street beyond.

Feeling her questioning gaze, Nick decided to share his thoughts. "If we go from alley to alley, we are going to _look_ like fugitives. If we _look_ like fugitives, mammals are going to call the police. We won't get far before your buddies in blue chase us down. We need to blend in."

"How?" Judy questioned hotly. "Rabbits are rare this far into the city and you're _bright red._ "

"Don't worry, fluff." Nick's grin just then could only be described as _roguish_. "I've gotten out of tight spots before. I'll get us through this." He looked into her eyes as he reassured her, asking her to believe him. Judy settled back, anxious but willing to trust in the fox's experience.

Seeing that the doe was mollified, Nick looked back into the street. He perked up as he found what he was looking for. Seeing his reaction, Judy turned to look in the same direction. All she saw was a herd of antelopes, mostly kudu and impala with a few oryx mixed in. They wore matching red and black soccer jerseys declaring them the 'Horned Devils'.

When Judy turned back to ask Nick what his plan was, she found him tucking his tail under his hoodie with a paw. He reached out with the other and grabbed the binder from under her arm. Before she could protest, he lowered his head to mutter into her ear. "When I give the signal, go."

She didn't think she liked this plan. "Hang on-"

"Go!" As the athletes passed the alley, Nick quickly dragged Judy right into their midst. The first few seconds were terrifying. The bunny's eyes darted frantically about, heart racing in her chest, as she was suddenly lost in a forest of stomping hooves, each one fully capable of crushing her bones. It was only Nick's firm grip on her arm that kept her from leaping away in a panic.

As the seconds passed by, Judy gradually acclimated. She realized that the various antelope around them were actually moving in an orderly group, with very little shifting or bumping. As long as she maintained their pace and kept a vigilant eye on the nearest legs, she would be fine. Or, so she told herself. Her heart never really slowed down.

So caught up in making sure she didn't get trampled, she was barely aware of how much time or distance had passed. When Nick just as suddenly pulled them out of the herd into another alley, Judy guessed they had gone about three blocks.

A little frazzled by the experience, Judy rapidly scanned her surroundings, halfway expecting a hoof to come out of nowhere to crush her. She noticed that this alley was darker than the last one. She was having trouble seeing the walls surrounding her. Then her nose twitched and wrinkled. This alley also stank, a faint reek of spoiled fish filling the space.

With a casual glance around to check for any watching eyes, Nick pulled Judy behind a dumpster. Seeing that she still looked a little wild-eyed, he crouched down and gently gripped one slender shoulder. "Carrots."

Judy's violet orbs stopped flitting about. Instead, they looked up at the watching green eyes. "Nick?"

Wincing at how badly out of it she sounded, he softened his voice a little. "Hey, fluff. Pretty intense way to travel, huh?" When that failed to get a response, he ducked down a little more, concern written across his features. "You okay?"

Realizing that she wasn't acting like herself, Judy quickly shook herself. "Yeah." When that failed to sound convincing enough to her own ears, she shook herself again. "Yeah! I'm fine. Actually…" she balled up her free paw and slugged Nick in the arm.

"Ow!" The blow jostled his arm hard enough to knock the binder from his grip. It fell to the ground with a noticeable _thud._ The fox shrunk back, releasing her shoulder so he could rub his own. "What was that for?" he whined.

"The next time you do something like that, you better explain _first,_ " Judy scolded, a glare on her face. "And _not_ just throw me in the middle of a _stampede!_ "

"Okay. First: Not a stampede. Stop exaggerating," Nick shot back. He stood to his full height, still rubbing his sore arm. "Second: That maneuver got us all the way to _Savannah Central Station_. You should thank me."

" _Thank you!?_ " Judy asked, outraged.

"You're welcome," he glibly replied. While Judy sputtered at being verbally outmatched, Nick kept right on talking. "How much money do you have?"

Remembering their situation, Judy put her ire aside to answer honestly. "Three hundred dollars."

Nick's eyebrows raised. "Why-? Never mind. Okay, three hundred dollars is good. I can work with that. Hand it over and I can get us out of here." He held his paw out.

Judy's wallet was halfway out of her duty belt before something sparked in her brain. "Wait. You said Savannah Central Station. That's ten blocks from the precinct."

Nick raised a brow. "Your point being…" he trailed off, rotating his outstretched paw in a slow circle.

"There's no way we went that far!" Tucking her wallet back into its pouch, she then pointed at Nick, glaring at him accusingly. "Where are we _really_?"

"Are you _dense?_ " Nick shot back, disgusted by her mistrust. "We're a block from the largest train station in Zootopia!"

"I don't see it!"

Nick smiled sarcastically. If the bunny wanted to be difficult, fine. He could be difficult, too. " _You can't see it?_ Maybe it's because- Oh, I don't know- _We are hiding behind a dumpster!_ "

"Prove it!"

"Okay. Look," Nick pointed behind her. "There's the dumpster. And here we are." He jabbed a finger at the ground between them. " _Hiding._ "

Judy gave him a deadpan glare. "Alright, _wise-fox._ You know what I meant. Where. Is. The. _Train station?_ "

Nick glared right back, paws on his hips. After a moment, he broke the tense silence. "You want to see it? Fine. Come on." Nick started forward, reaching out and grabbing Judy's arm as he went.

"Hey! What d'you think you're doing?!" She struggled in his grip as he led them out of the alley. She only calmed herself as they walked out onto the street, wanting to cause a scene less than she wanted him to let go.

Once they were on the sidewalk, Nick pulled his arm away and pointed down the street with his other. "There it is," he said plainly.

Judy turned to look. To her great surprise, she saw a green and white building. Savannah Central Station stood only a block away, its four unmistakeable spires, like twisted horns, framed by the setting sun, which was also much lower in the sky than Judy thought it should be.

 _We really did go ten blocks,_ she thought.

She turned back to her companion, only to jump in shock when she found he was no longer standing next to her. She spun around, looking frantically. Spotting his black-tipped tail swishing away down the shadowed alley, she took off after him.

She caught up just as he returned to their previous spot behind the dumpster. He spun to face her. Paws on his hips and his face stern, his stance reminded her of her father's after she had done something she shouldn't have. And just like when her father did it, it made her feel small and foolish.

That feeling made her stop and consider what she had just done to Nick. After everything they'd already been through together, did she still look at him as a shady fox who might take her money and run? Reflecting, Judy realized that in the last three hours alone she'd had her trust betrayed by the ZPD doctor, had to handcuff a fellow officer, and gone on the run from agencies she would have defended with her life. She was scared and off balance, and being thrown into a herd of antelope without explanation had made it worse. She felt bad for taking it out on Nick, doubly so since he didn't deserve it.

"You gonna trust me now?" he demanded.

"Yeah. Sorry," she muttered, gaze sliding off to the side to stare at the brick facade. She had to fight the urge to toe the ground.

Still glaring, he thrust his paw out again. "Cash," he ordered.

Judy silently fished out her wallet, pulled out eight bills of varying denominations and pushed the little wad into his paw. While Nick counted out the money, she looked up at him questioningly.

"What are you going to do with it?" she asked, curious about the fox's plan.

Nick quirked a brow at her. "Isn't it obvious? The biggest train station in Zootopia is only a block away." He casually tucked his paws into his sweatpants' pockets, the cash vanishing as he did so. "I'm going to buy us tickets."

He began to turn away, but was stopped halfway by a paw on his elbow. He turned back to find a frustrated bunny glaring up at him. "We can't use the _train._ They'll be watching for sure!"

"Carrots, we just agreed that you were going to trust me. So, trust me." He tried to pull away, but Judy's grip didn't relent.

"Okay, say we don't get caught on the train. Where can we go where they can't find us?" she asked.

"That's easy. Bunnyburrow. You have family there, right? And what better place to hide a rabbit than right in the middle of a million of 'em? 'Best place to hide a tree is in a forest' and all that." Nick tried to brush her off, but Judy persisted.

"Yeah, but foxes stick out there! Trust me, _I know._ We can't go there," she insisted, shaking her head with finality.

Nick gave her a funny look. "Rabbit, I think you have the wrong idea. _We_ are not going anywhere. _You_ are going to Bunnyburrow. _I'm_ going to make my own way."

Judy was in open-mouthed shock, the idea of splitting up not having occurred to her at any point. "We-We can't split up!" she spluttered. "I have to protect you!"

Nick stared at her for a second, taking in her firm stance and determined stare. Face softening a bit, he turned back to face her fully. Pulling his paws from his pockets, he crouched before her, arm resting on his knees. He was still looking down at her, but now their noses were only a few inches apart. "Hopps, you saved my life today," he began, his tone soft. Judy blinked in surprise, thrown by this unexpected shift. "So, let me return the favor. The safest thing to do, for _both_ of us, is to split up. Leave me behind. Go home," he gently urged.

Judy dropped her gaze, chewing her lip in thought. Was he right? Was staying together putting them in more danger? The more she thought about it, the more she realized he was right. They had to be the only rabbit-fox pair she had ever seen. Just by being near one another, they would draw attention. And he was probably right about the 'tree in a forest'. What better place than her hometown-

Then the exact reason why that could never work interrupted her entire train of thought. She looked up at Nick, her face flat. "If I went back to Bunnyburrow, everyone would know overnight. If I told everyone to keep it a secret, it would only spread _faster._ Gossip can't be stopped in a small town."

Nick looked annoyed, but not deterred. "Then we'll send you to another rabbit town. One where they don't know you. The ZPD can only reach so far. Keep your nose clean and you'll be fine."

Now it was Judy's turn to stare at him funny. "The ZPD-? Oh." She suddenly remembered that she hadn't told him everything she had learned. "I need to tell you something."

Nick drooped a little, giving the bunny before him a flat stare. "I know it should be impossible, but this is all about to get worse, isn't it?"

Judy gave him an uncomfortable, apologetic smile. She hated having to prove him right. "It's not the ZPD that wants you. It's the ZBI."

Nick's flat stare, if anything, got flatter. "You're kidding. Tell me you're kidding. You're not kidding. Auugh." With a tired, exasperated groan, he dropped his face into his paws.

He stayed like that for so long that Judy began to worry. Reaching out, she gently laid a paw on his shoulder. "Sorry."

Outside of the alley where the pair now sat in silence, the sun fell another degree toward the horizon. Street lamps, neon signs and strings of LEDs began to flicker on across the city.

Back in the alley, neither fox nor rabbit noticed the change, too caught up in their dilemma. The long quiet beginning to take a toll on her nerves, Judy had just begun to consider shaking him when Nick jerked his head out of his palms. The action was so sudden that Judy pulled away, a little taken aback.

Breathing deeply through his nose, Nick clapped his paws together. Determined green eyes opened to stare at his companion. "Okay, new plan. Time for... the Last Resort," he said dramatically.

Judy's brow wrinkled under the weight of her confusion. "Last Resort?" she parroted.

"That's right," Nick said confidently. He stood to his full height, his usual laid-back smile firmly in place. "Still, unless you want to try to walk across Zootopia, we're going to need a ride. Sit here for a bit and I'll get us one."

He turned to leave again, deliberately speeding up so Judy couldn't stop him. She tried anyway, running after him and calling out. "Hey, wait! You want me to just-!"

But it was too late. He disappeared into the street, pulling his hood over his ears as he went.

Judy stared after him, clenching her jaw in frustration. Foot thumping furiously, she considered chasing after him. However, she couldn't imagine a scenario where that ended well.

Resigned to her fate, she walked back behind the dumpster. She crossed her arms and settled in to wait, her foot tapping impatiently.

"He better get back soon," she muttered. Then an errant thought struck.

_If he gets back._

Cold and heavy, doubt dropped into her stomach like a stone. Ears pressed to her back, she stared at the ground with wide, worried eyes. She pushed the thought back, shaking her head as though to dislodge it.

 _He's been hustling for years and never been caught,_ she assured herself.

 _Never been caught by the_ _ **Zootopia Police Department.**_ _Doesn't mean he can outfox the_ _ **Zoologic Bureau of Investigation**_ **,** her doubt fired back.

 _They're not magic. They can't comb through all of Zootopia any better than the ZPD,_ she argued _._

No sooner had she thought the matter resolved than another realization chilled her.

 _What if the hustler fox hustled_ _ **you?**_ came the frigid whisper. _What if he takes the money and runs?_

Judy pressed a paw over her mouth, suddenly feeling nauseated. The stink of rotten fish certainly didn't help. She walked towards the wall and leaned against it, resting her brow on the rough, cool brick. She closed her eyes, slowly turning her head back and forth in denial.

 _No. He wouldn't do that. He said he will come back, so he will,_ she affirmed.

_How can you be sure?_

She didn't have an answer. Turning, she slid down the wall to sit on the ground. She wrapped her arms around her legs and pressed her face to her knees. She let out a miserable sigh and mumbled a soft curse.

" _Fertilizer_."

* * *

Night fell over Zootopia. The streets were alight with colorful signs and bright lamps, but that wasn't the case for many of the alleys. Curled up against the wall behind the dumpster, the stolen binder sitting at her feet, Judy was cast into an inky darkness. Maybe it wasn't _that_ bad, but it sure felt that way to the bunny.

Left alone with her doubts and fears, it was getting increasingly difficult to not give in to despair. And without a phone or watch to tell time, every second seemed to stretch on forever. She didn't know how long Nick had been gone, but it felt like hours. She was sure that wasn't the case, but that was hardly any comfort.

Contemplating her situation certainly didn't improve her mood. Without a shadow of a doubt, she had destroyed her dream of being a police officer. Even if she didn't go to prison, no law enforcement agency on this continent would hire her after this debacle.

Not that she regretted her choice. Choosing between her dream or her morals hadn't even been that difficult. After all, she prided herself on always doing what was right. Even if it was hard or scary or if other mammals said she was stupid for doing it or if those same mammals said it was impossible. Even if something _was_ impossible, she still tried.

After all, the M.I.I. hadn't always been there. If she had been a larger mammal, she could have joined the Police Academy right after high school. Would have, if they had accepted her application. But, at the time, she just didn't meet the size requirements. For six long years she toiled, working odd jobs to scrape together enough money to take classes to get certificates in self-defense, weapons handling and security, hoping to add enough experience to her résumé that they would waive the size requirement.

Then came the big news from Zootopia. Mayor Lionheart's new Mammal Inclusion Initiative had been signed into law, opening new career paths to mammals of all sizes. It was one of the happiest days of her life, the second being when she received the letter bearing her approval into the Academy, and her first being her graduation. The moment she received her badge had been the proudest of her life.

It was funny, now that she thought about it. The badge bore three words, the tenets which she had given an oath to uphold. Trust. Integrity. Bravery. But it also represented the Zootopia Police Department, an institution she had been forced to betray in order to uphold those very same tenets.

She changed her mind. It wasn't funny. In fact, it was probably the most _un_ funny thing she had ever heard of.

Irony _sucked_.

Not like it was going to work out anyway. Bogo and the rest of the department thought she wasn't cut out for the job. Three months of continuous parking duty because _no one_ would take her as a partner had made that pretty clear. And Bogo had been about to assign her to _Records_ when this case opened. He was going to stick her off in a dusty room so he wouldn't have to see her everyday. _He probably intended to keep it that way_ , she thought darkly.

It was just like Nick said, on her _first day as a cop_ no less: _No one cares about you or your dreams._ Turns out the orange jerk was right.

Her contemplation, as deep and dark as the shadow surrounding her, was interrupted by heavy footsteps. Her ears shot up, radaring toward the sounds. At first, she couldn't figure why they bothered her. Hundreds of large mammals had gone stomping by since she had occupied the alley. But some quality drew her attention.

These footsteps were… echoing? That meant someone was walking down the alley! Head shooting up in alarm, Judy bounced to her feet. Violet eyes wide, she frantically glanced around for a place to hide. Curse her dim, unreflective eyes! Even after plenty of time to adjust, all they could make out were dim outlines.

The footsteps were louder! They were almost on top of her!

Panicked, she dove for the dumpster. Pressing against worn metal, she followed it back towards the wall. Finding a space between, she pressed into it, barely squeezing her head and hips between the brick and steel. Seeing a little light, she started shuffling toward the other side of the dumpster.

Then she heard something that stopped her in her tracks. "Uh, Miss Carrots?" an older, feminine, definitely-not-Nick voice called out.

... _what?_

No one called her _Carrots_ but Nick. Judy turned back toward the way she came, face perplexed.

"I'm supposed to let you know," the unknown voice continued. "That I can get you a good deal on a jumbo pop."

Okay. Either that was a message from Nick, or the government had been spying on her for the last three months. She hesitated, not sure how to proceed.

"Hello?" the voice called, sounding unsure. Well, it certainly didn't _sound_ like an agent of the government. Making up her mind, she started to shuffle along the wall toward the mystery mammal. She peeked around the corner of the dumpster. What she saw surprised her. A hippo was standing out in the alley, highlighted by what little light was pouring in from the street. It was difficult to tell her age just by her physical appearance, since most hippos aged gracefully. But judging from her voice, as well as her completely out of date flower-patterned sundress, button-up sweater that looked homemade, and large, sequined purse, Judy guessed that she was in her sixties.

The hippo looked around, obviously having just as much difficulty in the dim alley as Judy. After a few seconds, the large lady looked saddened. "I'm sorry, sweetie," she spoke much more softly, "I don't think she's here."

Seeing her turn to leave, Judy stepped out from behind the dumpster. "Wait!" _That_ got the hippo's attention. She turned back just as Judy stepped out from the shadows. "I'm Carrots. Are you a friend of Nick's?"

The hippo smiled, looking very relieved. "I sure am. I'm Adelaide Sabo. I brought you something." Crouching down, she very carefully placed her purse on the ground.

Judy looked at it, a little intimidated by the size of it. It was taller than she was, including her ears. What did Nick send her?

She nearly died from shock when a head suddenly popped up from the bag. Judy jumped back, ready to dart away, but stopped when she recognized the smug, vulpine grin.

Nick smiled at her from over the edge of the purse, looking like the fox that ate the canary. "Hey, Carrots! Miss me?"

* * *

AN: Everyone give a big round of applause to my usual crew, Whit, DrummerMax64, and Chesterization.

I've also made a couple of new friends. Erinnyes01 and biopheonix4810 recently joined the crew. Erinnyes01 in particular added a detail or two the chapter previously lacked. Glad to have you both with us!


	18. Welcome to the Last Resort

" _Hey, Carrots! Miss me?"_

Nick's grin was undeniably smug. He felt he deserved it. After all, had he not gone several blocks undetected by cameras and roving ZPD patrols, contacted a trusted ally and returned to rescue another? He was practically a hero! They ought to sing his praises in the streets and throw a parade in his honor. But, he was a fox grounded in reality. He knew there would be no songs or floats.

So, he settled for the next best thing. His most self-satisfied smile and the opportunity to burn into memory a cute bunny's goofy shocked/outraged expression.

Said cute bunny finally got over her surprise enough to speak. " _Nick!_ How did- Who is- What are you doing?!"

"Is that how mammals say 'thank you' in Bunnyburrow? That's weird." If ever sarcasm was a facial expression, Nick was wearing it just then. "Well, just for fun, let me show you how we _city folk_ do it. It should sound like this." He cleared his throat with a single cough, then mocked Judy's voice. "'Gee, Nick. Thanks for risking your tail to get us a safe way across Zootopia! I'm _ever_ so grateful'," Nick said, even managing a halfway decent job copying Judy's voice and usual wide-eyed expression. Except for the sultry lilt on ' _ever_ '. That was all fox.

Straightening from the combat stance she had instinctively fell into from Nick's surprising reveal, Judy crossed her arms and huffed. Her first instinct was to scold him, but she stopped herself. He said he would come back and she had spent pretty much every moment since then doubting him. Now he was here and it was time to show some gratitude.

"Thank you, Nick," she said, voice completely void of annoyance or sarcasm. Nick's ears pricked up in surprise, the fox not actually expecting genuine thanks. "And I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's just…" She shifted uneasily, ducked her head and looked away. She even rubbed her arms. Nick's keen eyes caught every detail, easily able to pick up on her emotions. Fear. Shame. Regret. Judy continued, voice soft, "It felt like a really long time since you left."

Nick tilted his head, face carefully blank. She had doubted him. Again. He was both annoyed and hurt. He briefly contemplated calling her out on it, but he decided against it. Judging from her body language, she was hurting enough. If he made it worse, that would just make _him_ a bastard.

"Well," he spoke up, gaining Judy's attention. Wet violets met playful greens. "It's not as good as mine, but it'll do." Smiling his usual laid-back smile, Nick waved Judy over. "Come on in, Carrots. There's plenty of room."

Smiling, Judy stepped forward to do exactly that. She halted after only a step, her face switching to panic. Nick raised a brow at her sudden shift. Before he could ask, Judy spun to face the dumpster's dark shadow and cried out, "The binder!"

Oh, right. That thing she stole. Nick looked into the shadow as well. It took a little squinting, but he quickly spotted the plain looking document sitting on the concrete only a few feet away. "It's right there."

Judy turned to look at him, then followed where he was looking, only to be stymied by the shadow. "I don't see it!"

Nick shot her a slightly disbelieving look. "What do you mean? It's right- Oh, yeah. Rabbits don't have night vision." Nick proceeded to direct Judy to the binder. When she had it, she returned to the purse.

Once she was close enough, she crouched down to jump inside, only to be stopped by the hippo calling out. "Wait, dear!"

Judy froze before looking up at Nick's elderly ally. She was surprised to see the hippo beginning to slowly kneel down. Springing up from her crouch, Judy tried to wave her off. "Oh! Ma'am, I can get in by myself! No need to exert yourself."

Adelaide smiled, pleased with how polite and thoughtful the bunny was. Finally getting to both knees, she leaned over Judy. "Thank you for thinking of me, but I should help you in. This purse is terribly cluttered. You could hurt yourself."

Judy opened her mouth to assure her otherwise, only to be cut off by Nick. "She's right, Carrots. We got a long way to go and a sprained ankle is no way to get there."

Judy turned from Adelaide to Nick, then back again. When she dropped her paws and sighed in defeat, the friendly hippo held out a thick arm tipped with meaty digits. With a low but sincere 'thank you, ma'am', Judy crawled up and kneeled on the thick, smooth palm.

She was raised into the air with a great deal of care. Without any strain at all, Mrs. Sabo brought Judy right up to the purse's lip and held her there.

There was an instant of confusion. Did she want Judy to hop down?

Adelaide gave Nick a sidelong glance. Taking the hint, he stepped up to Judy's perch and held out his arms. "Here, Fluff. Let me help you."

Judy turned to look at Nick. She blinked at him, surprised. This didn't seem like his style. "Uh, sure."

It was a little awkward, since one of her arms was holding the over-sized binder. She ended up wrapping her free arm around his shoulders while he supported her back and legs. Judy hadn't realized how large his paws were until one was spanning most of her back and another easily gripped both of her knees. Nick gently lowered her down into the dark purse, standing her on her own two feet with surprising care.

Feeling nothing but smooth, spongy material below her feet, Judy glanced around, trying to see the clutter Adelaide had talked about. Unfortunately, it was about as dark in the purse as it had been in the dumpster's shadow. She couldn't see a thing.

Nick shifted next to her. She tried to back away, only for the back of her knee to catch on something.

"Oh!" She started to go down, blindly throwing her arm out to catch something. Instead, something caught her.

A large, somewhat familiar paw clamped her wrist. Nick pulled her up and steadied her. "Watch your step, Carrots," he said, tone dry. His paw dropped from her wrist. "You'll give yourself a concussion falling into this mess."

Rather than risk falling again, Judy reached out and grabbed Nick's hoodie. "Kind of hard when I _can't see,_ " she griped, glaring suspiciously at the ground around her. It was still just as dark as before.

"I _think_ I can help with that." When Nick took a step away, he expected Judy to let go. She held on instead, taking two small steps to keep him in arms reach. Shrugging it off, he crouched, reached out and tapped something.

Judy was almost blinded. After a few quick blinks, she could see that it was a digital screen big enough for a large bunny-sized laptop. After a second she realized she was looking at a hippo-sized smartphone. The screen was painfully bright to her dark adjusted eyes. Once her vision cleared, she was able to read the clock on the lock screen. It was with a mute sort of surprise that she saw it was only _9:17 P.M._

_Is that all? It feels like it should be later…_

Quickly moving past that, she looked around. Adelaide had been right. The purse was terribly cluttered. From just a cursory glance, she noted a novel, a keyring, a hanky, a jar of skin cream, a candy bar, a bottle of crazy glue, and a pack of baby wipes, all scaled for a hippo. There was more, but the shadows cast by the phone's light obscured labels and other identifying features.

Before she could look around more, she noticed she was standing on uncluttered ground. A second look revealed why. The bottom of the purse had a zipper. It was open, revealing a second bottom, which is what she stood on.

Noticing her looking at the zipper, Nick smiled proudly. "Do you like it? I made the modifications myself. This purse has a false bottom with a hidden zipper. The secret space is perfect for carrying all sorts of goodies like contraband, knockoffs, and stolen goods. Even fugitives, if they're small enough."

Judy turned on Nick, face twisted in outrage. "You used a sweet old lady as a _courier for illegal goods?_ "

Nick didn't look the least bit bothered by her anger. "Geez, Fuzz. When you say it like that, it kind of takes the fun out of it. But yes. Yes I did," he said, looking inordinately pleased for someone accused of something as awful as using the elderly as accomplices in his life of crime.

Before Judy could say more, Adelaide leaned over the purse and spoke. "Oh, don't worry, dear. Nick got my medication for me after my insurance ran out. I was in so much pain. I don't know what I would have done without him. He helped me so much, I asked him if there was anything I could do. He sent me on a few errands. It was more than fair."

Judy turned from the hippo back to Nick. She raised a finger, ready to demand all of the details she knew weren't being told. But then she dropped it, the finger _and_ the subject. "Fine. I'll yell at you later. We need to go."

Nick was a little disappointed. A cute bunny trying to glare him down was the most amusing experience he'd had in _years._ Still, she was right. Time to go. "You're right," he agreed. Then he laid down. Which was kind of a problem, because there might have been standing room in the purse, but it was only about as long as he was tall.

Judy was forced up against the side, leaning over a can of odor eliminator until she was almost sitting on it. She looked at the prone vulpine with disbelief. "What are you _doing?_ "

Nick looked back from where he had tucked himself under the zippered flap, eyebrow cocked. "Isn't it obvious? I'm getting in the secret compartment. You know, that thing that's going to get us across Zootopia without being caught."

Judy looked into the space with trepidation. "It doesn't look very big."

"Of course not. Secret compartments have to be small or they're too easy find. I would have made this one smaller, but when I was making it I thought it would be neat if I could ride around in it. Turns out I was right. Not getting caught by murderous government agencies is just _neat-o._ "

Eyes rolling, Judy wondered if it was some kind of neurological condition that made Nick's every communication so snarky. "Whatever. Move over."

After some shuffling, Judy and Nick were both laying in the compartment, Ruby's purloined binder laying across their chests. There was just enough room for them to lay on their backs if they pressed together. Reaching down, Nick grabbed the zipper tab. Large enough for a hippo, the fox could fit all three fingers into it. He began to pull it up, sealing Judy and himself inside. He paused halfway up to look up at Adelaide, who still knelt over the purse. "Alright, Missus S. We're ready."

The hippo nodded her heavy head. "Alright, dear. See you soon."

The fox pulled the zipper closed, disappearing from sight. Adelaide reached into the purse and carefully patted a flap down, covering the zipper's metal teeth. Now it just looked like a seam in the bottom of her purse. Then she grabbed the can of odor eliminator and gave the purse and herself a thorough spraying. Standing, she grabbed the purse and walked out of the alley, dropping the can into the dumpster as she went.

* * *

Judy was in a very stressful situation. She was in a lot of trouble. A trouble like she had never known. She was on the wrong side of the law and it was terrifying.

The secret compartment was dark and cramped. But, it was also very warm. The smell was pleasant, too. A relaxing, heady, floral scent washed over her. It reminded her of violets. These factors, along with having nothing to focus on and nothing to do, conspired to overwhelm her with a sudden wave of exhaustion.

 _I'm not going to sleep,_ she told herself. That would be ridiculous. They were fleeing for their lives! She needed to be alert, ready to identify and rapidly respond to any problem that may arise.

But, oh! how her eyes ached. _Alright,_ she thought. _I'll just rest my eyes for a bit. But I am_ _definitely_ _not going to sleep!_

* * *

"Psst! Hey, Carrots. Time to wake up. Hellooo? Sleeping Bunny, we're here. Hey! WAKE UP!"

Judy came to with a gasp. Her eyes flew open and she tried to sit up. There was a second of panic as she met resistance. After a brief struggle, she fought past whatever was holding her and sat up.

Panic and fear dried up instantly as she saw where she was. The purse. Right.

"Glad I waited for the zipper to get pulled back," said a voice from behind her. Judy glanced over her shoulder to find Nick behind her, using a hippo-sized prescription bottle as a makeshift stool. He leaned forward, arms on his knees, his usual, laid-back smile stretching across his lips. "You might have killed me otherwise."

A little embarrassed, Judy chose to ignore his comment to ask the obvious question. "Where are we?"

"Meadowlands. Corner of Buena Ewe and Old Betsy."

"Oh," was Judy's simple reply. She was distracted by the fact that, for the first time, she could see the inside of the purse clearly. It was only just then that she realized she had never been _inside_ a purse before. She looked around with interest for a moment, enjoying the novelty.

She was soon distracted by a faint, erratic clinking. Looking up, she spotted a streetlamp far above her head. A dozen moths were bouncing off the glass.

Then she heard heavy breathing. With shocking swiftness, Judy had bunched her legs beneath her and launched herself into the air. Landing on the ground next to the purse, she ignored Nick's startled squawk to focus on her surroundings. They were definitely outside central Zootopia. The buildings were very short here, only being one or two stories tall. They were also scaled down, designed to accommodate the average ram and not much more.

As Judy turned her head, she found the source of the heavy breathing. Adelaide was sitting on a slightly too-short bench, her hands on her knees. The bright streetlamp revealed that she was perspiring and a little pale.

Police training kicking in, Judy ran the few steps to the ailing hippo and looked up at her. "Ma'am, are you alright? You look like you are in distress. Would you like me to call an ambulance?" Though the line was straight from the handbook, Judy said it with real care and urgency.

"Oh no, dear. I'll be fine," Adelaide said, how short of breath she was obvious by the strain in her voice. "The doctor said I would get like this if- hoo!- If I didn't exercise more. This walk is good for me. Just- hoo!- need to rest for a bit."

"Take all the time you need," Nick said, joining the conversation. Judy glanced over to see he had poked his head out of the purse, just like he had in the alley. Then he turned to Judy and reached one arm over. She was surprised to see the binder. "Here."

Judy stepped over and took it. When Nick started climbing out, she asked, "What are you doing?"

Nick's only answer was a slight grunt as his feet hit the pavement. Then he turned and walked past Judy, ignoring her to place a paw over Adelaide's hand, which still clutched her knee. "You going to be okay, Missus S?"

"Don't worry, sweetie. I'll be fine." The hippo smiled down at him. She did look a little better, not quite as pale and not breathing quite as hard.

"Alright." Nick stood quietly for a moment. Then he patted her hand. "Take care, Missus S. And don't die, yeah? I bet Finnick fifty dollars that you would outlive him and I intend to collect."

Adelaide let out a breathy chuckle. "I'll meet you at his funeral. And since- hoo!- I'm doing all the work, we'll split it."

Nick's answering smile had a touch of melancholy. "It's a date."

That's when Judy butted in. "Wait! We can't leave her like this!"

Nick pulled his paw from Adelaide's hand and glanced down at Judy. "We have to, Carrots. Every minute out here is a risk. And the less she knows about where we go, the safer she will be. We need to leave, and she needs to stay."

Judy opened her mouth to object, but Adelaide stopped her. "He's right. Go on, dear. I'll be fine."

The bunny looked from the hippo to the fox and back again. She wanted to argue, but she knew it was pointless. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at Adelaide. "Thank you _so much,_ " she said earnestly.

"You're _very_ welcome," Adelaide replied.

Nick turned and began to walk away. Judy hesitated, looking worriedly up at the still ailing hippo. Adelaide smiled, touched by her concern. "Go on," she said softly.

It took a moment, but Judy eventually nodded. Then, clutching the binder to her chest, she turned and ran after Nick.

* * *

Nick lead them through abandoned back streets and forgotten footpaths. As they walked, the buildings spread out and the city streets disappeared. They were replaced with wide open grassy fields dotted with suburban homes, convenience stores and the occasional tree.

Over two hours later, the pair were walking up a lonely dirt road. There hadn't been a house, or any building, for miles. The pair didn't speak, each lost in pensive thought.

They had just walked over a stone bridge spanning a dried riverbed when Nick spoke up. "There it is."

Judy's head snapped up from where she had been watching the ground. The pale moonlight revealed a huge, derelict airplane hangar. The roof was gently curved, the corners sloped down to allow rainwater and snow to easily slide off. The wall facing them was split into two parts: the top half was mostly grimy windows, some of which were broken, and the bottom was basically one large door made up of huge, vertical slats.

In front of the building was a six lane landing strip. Obviously, no one had maintained it in years. Weeds grew through cracks in the tarmac by the dozen. There were even some patches of hardy grass.

"What is this place?"

"For now, this is Red Heath Municipal Airport."

Judy shot Nick a curious look. "For now?" she asked.

"For now," Nick confirmed with a smile.

As they got closer, the building only seemed to get bigger. When they actually reached the hangar, Judy was actually quite impressed with how large it was. She didn't think there was anything in Bunnyburrow that could match it for sheer size. And since it stood alone, it seemed more monolithic than anything in Zootopia, even if there were larger buildings.

Nick bypassed the large hangar door to go around a corner. There they found a personnel door, high enough for a giraffe and wide enough for an elephant. Luckily, this door had doors for smaller mammals built into it, making it a kind of three-in-one.

As they approached the door, Nick paused to swipe a baseball-sized rock from the ground, seemingly at random. He began to hum a familiar tune as he walked along, tossing the rock from paw to paw, testing its weight.

Judy raised a brow. "I don't think a rock is going to get us in, Slick."

Still humming, Nick turned his head to glance down at her. He waggled his eyebrows, grinning like he knew something she didn't. As they reached the door, Nick began to sing aloud.

_~I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts~_

_~Diddly-dee-dee~_

_~There they are, all standing in a row~_

He held the rock up so she could see. She squinted at it, but she couldn't really see much detail in the low light. About all she could tell was that it was unusually round.

_~Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head~_

He grabbed the rock in both paws.

_~Give them a_ _twist~_

Mirroring the song, he twisted the rock in half. It was hollow inside and the two halves were held together by a hidden hinge.

 _~A_ _flick of the_ _wrist~_

He turned the fake stone over, and, with a single, sharp jerk, sent a key tumbling into his other paw. He held the bronze key up with a flourish, like he had just finished an elaborate magic trick.

_~That's what the showman said~_

He smiled at her, very pleased with himself. Judy gave a flat stare back. "Are you proud of yourself?"

Nick shrugged, letting her disapproval roll off him like water off his back. "Someone should be," he quipped as he pushed the key into the medium-sized door handle. It took some jiggling, but the lock did give way.

Pulling the door open, the fox entered first. Judy followed, only to stop halfway. "Nick, I can't see." The grimy windows did a poor job of letting in the already dim moonlight. All she could really tell about the space beyond the door was that it was vast.

Two opalescent eyes appeared in the darkness, startling Judy. She jumped, then relaxed with a sigh. " _Cheese and crackers,_ Nick. Don't do that."

"Do what?" he asked as he stepped into the beam of moonlight streaming through the door. It only reached as high as his chest, leaving his face cast in shadow. It made his reflective eyes shine brighter.

Judy waved at the seemingly floating orbs. " _That._ "

"' _That'_ _what?_ " he asked, paws on his hips.

"The _thing._ The thing with your eyes."

The circles tilted. "'That thing with-' You mean my eyeshine?" They straightened out and mostly disappeared behind half closed lids. "It's not a flashlight, Dumb Bunny. I can't turn it off."

"Well- Ugh, whatever." She quickly walked forward and grabbed his arm. She stubbornly faced into the darkness so she wouldn't have to look into the otherworldly orbs. "Just take me to where we're going."

Said orbs rolled in their sockets. "As her high bunnyness demands, so shall it be done."

* * *

It was a brief walk through the dark, then Nick guided her through another door and down a flight of stairs. Judy was treated to the familiar feeling of cool, moist air. They were underground.

The pair stopped.

"Where is it…" Nick muttered next to her, shifting as he felt about with his other arm. "Aha!" A bulb flickered on, throwing out just enough light to see. Judy glanced around to see… she wasn't sure. At first glance it was an office. The walls were covered with old fashioned wood paneling, most of it warped or rotting from the constant moisture in the air. There was even a lion-sized desk, office chair and filing cabinet. But through an opening without a door there was a bathroom, including a shower. And near the ceiling were numerous pipes and conduits, some only about as thick as her arm and others big enough for her to crawl into. They seemed to go in and out of the walls and ceiling at random. There were also two more closed doors, not including the one that led back to the stairs.

"What is this place?" she asked as she pulled away from him.

"This is the system maintenance room slash manager's office. When everything still worked this is where they monitored and repaired the various pumps and wires that ran everywhere. I'll tell you more about it later. But, right now, I'm bushed!" He walked over to the large filing cabinet and pulled open the bottom drawer. Inside was a rat's nest of sheets and pillows. After a careful sniff proved that it was still useable, Nick threw himself into it with a relieved sigh.

After a brief look around and some poking revealed that everything was locked, doors and desk drawers included, she wandered over to where Nick had disappeared into the filing cabinet. She found the fox curled up on his side facing away from her. He hadn't bothered to cover up with any of the sheets.

Placing the binder on the floor, she leaned against the drawer, crossing her arms over the edge as she considered him. "So, this is it? I figured your evil lair would have more flair."

Nick answered immediately, dispelling any notion that he might have been asleep. "Welcome to Wilde's Last Resort. Sorry we couldn't take you to the scenic First Choice Hotel, but they were completely booked by the _ZBI._ " He sounded like a travel commercial.

Judy nodded, finally getting the joke. "The last _resort_ you'd ever want visit for vacation."

"And the lady gets it in one." Nick raised a paw and checked an imaginary scored card with his finger.

There was a moment of silence. Judy glanced around again. "Is there a place for me to sleep?"

"You can curl up on the office chair. Cushion is still pretty good."

"That's not happening. I'll roll off that thing."

"Then you'll have to share with me. No other place," he said, thinking it would scare her off. He was surprised to feel something land behind him. "Well, this is happening."

"Yep," Judy agreed, settling behind him. She laid down, only to be annoyed by a certain lack of something. "Hey, give up some pillow."

Nick sighed, but complied. As he pushed the pillow over so she could use one side, he laid out his caveat. "Only if you don't cuddle me again."

Judy sat up, an outraged expression on her face. "Again!?"

"Yeah, again. Like you did in the secret compartment."

"I did _not cuddle you._ "

"Yes, you did." Nick turned over so he could shoot her a sideways glance. "Did you know your nose twitches in your sleep? Especially if the fox you're curled around growls a bit. It's adorable."

Judy stared at him, feeling her ears grow hot. She dropped them down her back so he wouldn't see them turn red. She flopped back down, too embarrassed for a proper comeback. "Shut up."

"Sly Fox: _One_. Dumb Bunny: _Zero._ "

* * *

AN: The newest recruits have turned out to be wonderful additions. BioPheonix4810 and Erinnyes have been super helpful and I'm glad to have them. You ought to check them out, they have interesting stories of their own to read.

Not that I'm saying DrummerMax64 and Whit and Chesterization haven't all been very helpful, because they have. I just love all my collaborators!


	19. Eulogy for a Dream

Green, bloodshot eyes stared blankly at a featureless metal panel. A red-furred, black-tipped ear twitched. Then again. Then again. Then-

Nick raised a paw and pressed it over his ear. He rubbed it a few times, then dropped his paw back to the wadded up sheets.

The movement was enough to disturb his… guest. He felt her shift slightly, her grip on him adjusting as she made herself comfortable.

The rabbit had violated his request to not cuddle him basically the second she had gone to sleep. Now she clung to his back like some kind of fuzzy barnacle, her paws fisted in his hoodie and one leg actually thrown around his torso just under his ribs. Her nose was buried in the fur of his nape, her soft breaths warming the back of his neck.

He had been sorely tempted to wake her up and embarrass her, but had decided against it. It was probably the exhaustion talking, but this bunny had thrown away everything for his sorry hide. So, he figured, maybe, _just this once,_ he would cut her some slack and let her sleep.

Besides, he had been looking forward to some shut eye himself and didn't want to postpone that for a no doubt amusing, but otherwise petty, teasing.

But sleep didn't come. _And_ he'd had to deal with a clingy rabbit all night.

 _I have a terrible feeling that this is going to be a trend,_ he thought drily.

His attention shifted as his adorable little parasite shifted against him. "Mmm…" She moaned softly, letting out a breath that washed through his fur to heat his skin. Nick glared at the back of the drawer, trying to ignore how his body stirred and warmed.

_This is not happening. No. I refuse to believe it. Nope. Nu-uh. Stupid sexy-_

He was distracted from his thoughts when Judy shifted again. To his surprise, he felt her grip loosen. Paws unfisted and her leg slipped off of him. She rolled onto her back, putting space between them for the first time in hours. Nick shifted in place so he could prop himself up on his elbows. He stared over at the sleeping rabbit, brow wrinkled with consternation. _Now_ she wants space?

Violet eyes opened, then turned to his greens. There was a moment of awkward silence. "Were you watching me sleep?"

Nick turned his snout away with an aggravated sigh. "You've got to be _kidding,_ " he grumbled. He stood and dragged himself out of the drawer, barely keeping from falling flat on his face as he stumbled tiredly. He continued to grumble as he headed to the bathroom. "Spend the whole night getting felt up and somehow _I'm_ the creep."

* * *

After a very _cold_ shower (there wasn't a working water heater, so it wasn't like he had a choice), Nick walked out of the bathroom wearing just the sweat pants Judy had gifted him. He rubbed his ears with a large, threadbare towel as he walked.

Spotting a cute cotton tail bobbing in the air, the fox began to wander towards it. Judy was on her elbows and knees, Ruby's binder spread open before her. She had one paw following a line of text as she read, with the other holding her trusty carrot pen over her notepad. Nick watched her as she worked, still pressing the excess water out of his fur with the worn out towel.

She would read a line or two, then switch to her notepad. After consulting her notes, she would write down a new question or conclusion or three, then back to the binder. She was so caught up in her work that she didn't even seem to notice the fox standing right next to her.

Nick's attention began to wander. He noticed two neat stacks of paper off to the side. He bent down to grab one of the stacks, then stood again. Letting the towel rest over his shoulders, he used both paws to leaf through the pages. He found they were all copies of the same document. They were surprisingly simple. Just a reference to another document and a place to sign. He glanced over at what Judy was working on. It was something else entirely, making whatever he was holding look about as complicated as a line drawn in the dirt. "That's some fancy looking legalese you got there, Carrots."

"Mm," Judy grunted distractedly, clearly lost in whatever she was reading.

Since he had nothing else to do, the fox decided he might as well be helpful. "I could take a look at that document for you. I _am_ a commissioned notary public."

Judy's eyes rolled as she sat up. "Of _course you…_ are…" She trailed off as she turned to look at him. A male fox stood next to her, shirtless, sweatpants riding low on his hips. The way he held the documents before him covered the hole in his chest, so all she saw was an expanse of cream and russet fur laying wetly over a lithe, athletic frame.

Nick smiled toothily, more than pleased with how her eyes wandered. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a carnivore. You look like you want to _eat me up._ "

Caught staring, Judy quickly looked back to the binder. She dropped her ears down her back so he wouldn't see how red they were. "Don't be gross," she griped. "I've just never seen a half-naked fox before. You're shaped different from rabbits. I was… curious, is all."

Nick's smile was almost lascivious. Behind him, his tail flicked with delight. "Curious? Well, I'm here for you, if you ever feel your curiosity needs to be… _satisfied_."

Judy was getting a little fed up with the teasing. It had been a long few days, she was still exhausted, and dealing with a flirtatious fox was not on the list of things she had energy for right that second. "Will you _stop?_ Instead of embarrassing me for your amusement, why don't you help me figure out a plan?" She turned to glare at him, violet eyes fierce.

Nick dialed back the flirty smile into something more neutral. _I_ _may_ _have hit a nerve,_ he thought. "Alright, fine. After the heat dies down, I'm going to a nice tropical island with no extradition treaties. I'm going to buy myself a lovely little cantina and spend the rest of my life in comfortable obscurity. _That's_ my plan."

Judy glare turned derisive. "Really? A _cantina_? _That's_ your plan?"

"Yeah. That's my awesome plan. Why? Rather have a farm?"

"I would _rather_ prove that we were the victims of illegal government action and _maybe_ get our lives back."

Now it was Nick's turn to look derisive. "Then you're dumber than you look, as hard to believe as that may be."

Judy was suddenly on her feet, fury clouding her face. She stepped fearlessly into Nick's personal space, not caring a bit that he was a predator over twice her size. "I don't _care_ what a career _popsicle hustler_ has to say about it. _I'm_ going to try!"

Nick glared back, forty hours without sleep placing a toll on his carefully constructed calm. "They will _never_ let us go." There was the faintest growl as he said 'never'. He dropped the stack of paper he held off to the side, exposing the hole in his chest. "They will _never_ let _this_ go!" he nearly shouted, hovering his paw over the faintly glowing orb. "It's too important! They'll chase me forever, and they will _kill you_ before they let you talk!"

Instincts flared in the presence of an agitated predator. They screamed _run! Run!_ And though Judy didn't let fear stop her from anything, she couldn't stop her nose from frantically twitching. "Just because it's hard doesn't mean it's impossible!"

Nick crossed his arms, visibly reining himself in. His voice was calmer as he spoke again. "It _is_ impossible. No amount of idiotic optimism is going to change that."

"What would you know about what's impossible when you've never tried!" She knew immediately that she had said the wrong thing. A terrible calm fell over Nick's entire form, a stillness more frightening than any aggression. Judy actually took a step back, suddenly wary.

The fox regarded her with icy disdain, his usual playful, laid-back confidence entirely absent. A tense silence fell over the room as the fox silently considered the rabbit. After nearly a minute of painful quiet, he finally spoke. "Fine. You want to run off and get yourself killed, be my guest. Before that, want to see what _trying_ has gotten me?"

Judy knew this was some kind of trap. She also knew that she wasn't going to get far without the streetwise fox's help. She nodded slowly.

"Follow me," Nick said. He turned and and started towards the staircase, quickly disappearing upstairs. Judy followed him to the hangar above, where just enough early morning light filtered in through the filthy windows to see.

Judy was surprised to see that the hangar wasn't empty. Crates and pallets were stacked everywhere, with dozens of huge, irregular shapes covered with tarps and plastic sheets interspersed throughout. Seeing a familiar tail swish out of sight, she walked quickly into the wilderness of boxes and shapes.

After nearly thirty seconds of wandering through the clutter, she found Nick standing next to a long, curved shape under a canvas tarp. The fox turned to face Judy, but, somehow, it was like he was a different mammal. Shoulders were square and back was straight and he smiled with such blinding confidence that, in spite of only wearing sweatpants and a towel, he looked like every eye should be looking at only him.

"Ladies and gentlemammals! May I have your attention please!" The words rang out loud and clear, filling the space with his voice. "Welcome to this most auspicious event! I am your host for the evening, Nicholas Wilde!" Nick put one paw to his chest and bowed with a flourish, a movement so perfectly graceful it could only have been practiced. Rising once again to his full height, he turned his head to take in an imaginary audience. "Before we begin, I have a few words. I was born a fox."

His smile slipped away, replaced with something somber and serious. He grabbed the towel around his neck with both paws, looking very much like a mammal gripping the lapels of a fine jacket. Even the hole in his chest didn't detract from his refined posture. "There's nothing special about that. There are millions of us in the world, with many thousands of us just in Zootopia, though you wouldn't know it by walking around. Most of us don't get out much, for reasons I'm about to explain. You see, mammals believe foxes are clever. They believe we are shrewd and they believe we are conniving. They see a fox and the first thing they think is 'that animal is up to no good!'" He pulled away from his imaginary audience to look Judy right in the eye. She twitched guiltily as she remembered that that had been almost exactly what she had thought when she saw him on the street outside of Jumbeaux's Café.

Nick released her gaze to sweep his out across his imaginary audience once more. "Well, I believe it's time for a change." He held one paw up and out, finger extended. "Foxes are persecuted for being who they are in this city, even though Zootopia touts itself as the most tolerant in the world. A most beautiful lie." Dropping his arm to his side, the pretend Master of Ceremonies waited a moment to let that sink in. When he judged the dramatic tension to be right, he continued. "But then I realized that foxes were not alone. Every species has their burden. Wolves are called simple, and sheep are called conformists. Cats are cruel and bovine are brutes! No matter the mammal, you can always find an insult reserved just for you.

"Enough! Rather than tear each other down for our differences, it is time that we celebrate what makes us unique! And so, I have worked tirelessly to make a place where that is truth, rather than dream! I stand before you tonight to give you a part of my dream, made reality!"

The fox turned to the tarp and grabbed it with both paws. He tore it to the side and shouted, "Welcome to _Wilde Times!_ "

As the cloth fluttered to the ground, Judy took in what was revealed. A colorful sign, with a rich red background and bright yellow letters. Nick stood next to it, smiling brilliantly, eyes shining and face flushed with pride. A few moments passed this way, with Judy staring at the sign a little, but mostly at Nick. He looked so… happy.

But then the light went out. The smile faded and his eyes dimmed. He turned to look at the sign, ears pressed back, shoulders slumped and tail limp. A deep, profound melancholy filled him such that Judy thought she could taste it in the air. Another few moments passed this way, such a stark contrast to those that came before that it was like the difference between night and day.

Eventually, Judy walked forward to stand next to him. She didn't know what to say, so she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "What was it?"

Nick answered slowly, still scanning the sign he had painstakingly crafted. "It was going to be an amusement park. One where every kind of mammal could go and find something they were good at. There would be puzzle games and strength tests and challenges that you could only do by working together. No one could do everything but everyone could do one thing. A place where no one would feel worthless or left out. This was my dream."

Judy, sharp as ever, noticed a keyword. "Was?"

"Kind of hard to run an amusement park while you're government wants to murder you."

Another silence fell over them. Judy looked up at her companion. She watched as he slowly took in his sign, his face a sad sort of thoughtful. She wondered what he was thinking about. Was he imagining what it would have been like? Was he remembering what he'd done to get this far? Was he planning how to open his park anyway, in spite of the danger he was in now? She decided to ask. Reaching up, she touched his elbow. When he looked down at her, she asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Nick considered her for a long few seconds. Then he spoke. "I'm an idiot."

Judy blinked up at him, thrown by the non sequitur. "What?"

"I would have been forty five by the time this place opened. Probably older." Nick looked up and scanned his surroundings. He took in the crates and the covered stacks, each one a ride or game _in potentia._ "I could have wasted half my life getting this place running, and it wouldn't have worked out anyway. Not a lot of amusement parks left. And the ones that are left are all run by big companies that can afford big rides and attractions. No one would bother with a dinky little carnival run by a fox. I'd be filing for bankruptcy in a few years and then I'd die in ditch somewhere and only my creditors would wonder where I went! I wouldn't have made a difference at all!" Judy watched with growing alarm as Nick began to pace as he ranted, arms flailing as his paws gestured wildly. Turning back to the Wilde Times sign, he slammed both of his paws against the painted sheet metal. Extending his claws, he walked down the length of the sign, forcing Judy to hop back or risk getting knocked over. When he was done, eight jagged lines ran through the text.

As he stood huffing and puffing after his fit, Judy stood behind him. She watched his heaving shoulders for a few seconds, then turned to the sign. She gazed sadly at the ruined text. She could tell it had been made with a lot of care. Now it was ruined and she knew it wasn't ever going to be fixed. She looked back to Nick and called out, "At least you would have tried."

"Try all you want," Nick huffed without turning to face her. "The world won't change. Mammals will always hate each other. They'll always hate _me._ " He turned and walked away, disappearing into the mess without a backwards glance.

Judy watched him go, then turned back to the sign. She stepped up to it and reached up a paw to trace one of the fresh claw marks for a few inches. She pressed a palm over it, digits spread out. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Then she turned and followed after Nick. The sign remained, the gravestone of a dead dream.

* * *

AN: I know, I know. It's short. This just seemed like the best place to cut it.

Shout out to DrummerMax64 for his excellent reviews and beta work. Keeps those technical details looking sharp.

Another round of applause for Erinnyes, BioPhoenix4810 and Whit. Their helpful pointers and suggestions improve every chapter.

And always an honorable mention for my friend Chesterization, whose help was invaluable while creating the story's outline and planning.


	20. Promise, Not Paradise

When Judy caught up with Nick, she found him bent over Ruby's binder similar to the way he had found her earlier. He was even using her notepad and carrot pen. Though, after a moment's study, Judy found a subtle but important difference. Temperament.

Where she had been quiet, calm and diligent, she found a fox on the border of mania. He wasn't _taking notes_ as much as he was _attacking the notepad,_ writing so fast and pressing the pen down so hard that Judy could hear the paper tearing with nearly every stroke. He glared hatefully at the document as he worked, as though he blamed it for all of his current woes. He even muttered angrily, a jumbled mess of words and phrases that Judy's sensitive ears told her was mostly about her and her foolishness.

"- _dumb bunny thinks- ha! If you can call it thinking. Doesn't know anything- stupidstupid_ _stupid!_ _Moron! What was the point of that? Doesn't matter, gonna die anyway. All going to-_ " his muttering and scribbling came to a sudden halt as a small paw gently lay over his much larger one. He stared at the paws in consternation, not because the bunny was touching him. No, it was because he could see his paw was shaking and he couldn't figure out _why._

"Shh- shh- Hey, it's alright," Judy cooed next to him, crouched down on one knee. She continued to hold his paw with one of her own while she used her other on his shoulder to guide him up. The fox let himself be moved, staring mutely at where his paw shook in her soft grip.

Once the fox was no longer uncomfortably bent over, Judy moved her paw from his shoulder to his ears. It was only as she stroked them back that Nick felt how painfully tense they were. Not just his ears. Muscles all across his face, shoulders and arms ached from being too tightly wound. Even the fur on his tail was stood on end.

What was wrong with him?

Judy's voice brought him out of his musing. "Breathe, Nick. You need to breathe," she said. Nick raised his eyes to hers. He blinked at her confusedly, his mind seeming stalled. She tried again. " _Breathe_ ," she coaxed, rubbing his tense ears.

Nick nodded, taking a shaky pull of air through his mouth. He closed his eyes and focused on relaxing his tense muscles. His expression mellowed and his fur laid flat. His second breathe was much smoother, though he knew he still trembled slightly. The carrot pen slipped from his grip, rolled off his lap and landed on the floor.

"Are you alright?" Judy asked. Nick opened his eyes to find Judy staring at him, eyes wide with concern. He looked away ashamedly, uncomfortably reviewing his behavior over the last few minutes.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine," he said, rubbing his face with his free paw, the one that Judy wasn't currently holding. It was strange; her paw was so much smaller than his. She could barely wrap her fingers around the base of his thumb. The comparison reminded him of what he did to his sign. He groaned with dismay. "Ugh, I used my _claws._ I'm such an idiot. Carrots, I didn't- I mean-"

Seeing him struggle, Judy rushed to reassure him, dropping her paw from his ears to grip his shoulder. "You didn't scare me, Nick. It's okay." Judy thought about what could have wound him up so badly. His reaction seemed disproportionate to the situation, _especially_ for someone as laid-back as the fox. Then she remembered the awkward moment after she had woken up. From there, it was easy to guess the problem. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?"

Nick sighed and shot her a wan smile. "Not a wink."

"That's two nights, now," Judy muttered to herself. Then aloud, she said, "C'mon." She stood, tugging on Nick's arm until he stood too. "You shouldn't sit still after an episode like that, it's bad for your…" she trailed off as she realized she was about to say ' _heart'_. She squirmed uncomfortably as she tried to fix it. "Organs?"

Nick raised a brow at her, smiling with good humor. "Swing and a miss, Carrots, but you keep trying."

Judy winced, embarrassed by her little faux pas. "Sorry. But I still think we should go for a walk. Now's a good a time as any to get some supplies. You know where we can get some food around here without getting caught?"

"Although a walk sounds nice, I think it's too soon to leave. If you're hungry, then I have good news. _Wilde's Last Resort_ might not have room service, but it does come with a fully stocked kitchen." He turned and walked purposefully away. After a second's surprise, Judy ran to catch up to him.

"There's a kitchen here? Really?" Judy asked hopefully.

"Eh, sort of," Nick said as they approached one of the locked doors. He fished the key from his pocket and reached up to the handle. After a moment, the door swung open, revealing a simple break room. To the right was a counter high enough to service lions and rhinos, which meant it was well over Judy's head. Nick would be able to look over the edge, if he stood on his toes. Above and below the counter were simple beige cabinets. On one end there was a sink with a cheap plastic faucet, and on the other there was a worn out refrigerator that looked at least forty years old.

But Nick didn't walk to the counter or the fridge. He turned to the left. Judy noted a line of large, sealed plastic buckets against the wall and a few boxes stacked in the corner. The fox rapped one of the lids with his knuckles before turning to grin at her. "Here we are. Not exactly 'Catch of the Day', but it's better than dirt."

Judy looked at the label on the plastic container. 'Smart Mammal's Brand Emergency Food Supply - 90 Servings' was spelled out across the side in bold font. Some quick mental math told her that was enough food to feed one mammal for a month. Then she looked down the line and counted out twelve identical containers. Enough food to feed the average mammal for a year, if you didn't count the ones on the extreme ends like elephants and mice.

"This is… Amazing. Weird, but amazing. Why are you so prepared? Were you _expecting_ to flee the government someday?"

Nick shrugged like it was no big deal. "It just seemed like common sense at the time. You don't spend a decade with Hon- a doomsday prepper without picking up a few things."

She gave him a strange look, having caught his slip. Nick wouldn't look her in the eye. She wondered why, but then she remembered his police report. Honey was the badger he went to for help, who then attacked and restrained him. Nick said she was a paranoid delusional that lived in her basement converted into a bunker. He also said they were close, the closest either of them had to family. Realizing the betrayal must have still been fresh in his mind, Judy changed the subject.

"So!" she said loudly, reaching out to drum her fingers on the lid. "What's on the menu?"

Nick went along easily. "Let's find out." He quickly tore off the thick plastic seal and popped the lid. Inside were loads of neatly stacked easy-to-open pouches. Reaching in, Judy grabbed the one on top and looked it over. It was surprisingly well labeled, with a glossy picture of a hearty looking stew under the name 'Tasty Taco Soup'.

"This looks… Surprisingly appetizing."

"You were expecting a brick with a barcode on the side?"

"Well, yeah. They never show you stuff like this in the movies. It's alway old army MREs and gruel."

"Well, as much as I love a good _gruel,_ " Nick reached in and grabbed a pouch for himself. He read the label as he continued, "I'll just have to settle for 'Satisfying Stroganoff'."

* * *

Nick fished a single unit electric stove out of one the boxes, along with a small copper pot, paper bowls and plastic utensils. He set up the stove and put on his gray hoodie as they waited for the water to boil.

In ten minutes, the pair were sitting on the stairs, each with a steaming bowl of highly processed foodstuff. While Judy would have preferred some fresh vegetables, her taco soup was flavorful and warm. It was more than she could have hoped for, considering the circumstance.

The pair ate in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the mundanity of sharing a meal. After the last few days, it felt like a blessing to just sit and eat without worry.

About halfway through her soup, Judy felt herself full. She glanced over at Nick and was surprised to find him scooping the last of his stroganoff into his mouth. Seeing him glance at his bowl in annoyance, she offered him hers. "Here."

He turned his head to glance at her, his eyes bouncing from her eyes to the bowl and back again. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm done. These portions are too big for me."

"Thanks." While he slurped up her leftovers, Judy took out her notepad and began to review Nick's work. Except for the numerous places where he had slashed through the paper with his heavy pen stroke, his writing was clear and complete. She found he had been fixing her notes, answering her questions and correcting any wrong conclusions she had made. He hadn't been able to finish, but Judy found herself demystified somewhat, the document about a third of the way translated from complicated legal jargon to terms she could understand.

"Hope I didn't mess it up too bad." Judy looked up to find Nick looking at her, the empty soup bowl hanging loosely in his paws.

"What? Oh no, it's fine. Actually…" She looked from him to the notepad, flipping the page over so she could read a few more lines. "These notes are exactly what I need. How are you so good at legal work?"

"If I were anything but a fox, I could have been a lawyer."

Judy looked up, her brow wrinkled in confusion. "What does being a fox have to do with it?"

Nick leaned back, resting his elbows on the step behind him. He let out a wistful sigh. "In order to practice law, you have to pass the Bar exam. In order to take the Bar exam, you have to have one of two things: A degree from a law school, which will cost you four years and two hundred thousand dollars; or a written letter from a judge saying you have 'Read the Law'. It's like an apprenticeship, sort of. It's cheaper, but it takes a lot longer. Either way, they don't let foxes in."

Judy sat up a little straighter, her ears shooting up from where they had been relaxed down her back. "What do you mean?"

Nick chuckled mirthlessly, his eyes wandering toward the ceiling as he remembered. "I mean out of twenty schools I applied to, every single one replied that I didn't qualify. I didn't meet the requirements. Never mind that I tested in the ninety-eighth percentile in every subject. I had too many Bs and Cs in high school. The fact that my mother was dying from cancer and I had to take care of her didn't matter. The judges were the same way. They all used anything they could find to deny me, and when they couldn't deny me, they put me at the bottom of the list and kept me there."

A strange feeling drew his eyes back down. Judy's much smaller paw lay over his while she looked up at him, lovely violets wide with sympathy. "Nick, that's awful."

A little uncomfortable, Nick cleared his throat and looked at his lap. "Mm. Well, it all turned out for the best. After some research, I found out pretty much everywhere is oversaturated with law degrees. I would have ended up as an overqualified paralegal making minimum wage with a hundred thousand dollars in student loans. I guess being a hustler is about as much as I can hope for."

Judy opened her mouth, a denial on her lips, but was interrupted by Nick suddenly pulling his paw out of her grip and standing. He turned and began to clean up the remains of their breakfast. As he gathered the paper bowls and plastic ware, he said, "After I take care of these, I'll finish translating the document for you. Then we can work out a plan."

He quickly turned and walked away. Judy watched him disappear into the break room, her expression lost.

* * *

A half an hour later, Nick jotted down a few words in Judy's notebook, underlined them twice, then slapped the pad down with a relieved sigh. "Done."

Judy hopped up from where she had made herself comfortable in the oversized office chair. In two bounds she was next to where Nick had been working on Ruby's binder on the floor. She scooped up her notebook and began to eagerly read through Nick's work.

While she did that, Nick rolled over and stretched, arms reaching way over his head. He strained harder, trying to achieve the familiar, satisfying pops and cracks from his spine. He glared at the ceiling as he realized he would probably not be able to do that with how many vertebrae he was currently missing. He settled back on the floor with an annoyed grunt, feeling strangely unfulfilled.

Judy, noticing none of this, tore through the notes Nick made. Reaching the end, she found a page where Nick had placed the important points of the document. It included the full translation of a cleverly hidden clause. "They would have taken me too?"

Closing his eyes from the glare of the overhead lights, Nick simply nodded. "Yep. You and anyone they didn't believe would honor the Non-Disclosure Agreement, even if they signed it."

Judy noticed something odd. "What is the… 'Strategic Internal Logistics and Enforcement, Non-Civil Extension'?" After the question, she looked at Nick expectantly.

Nick, feeling her gaze, cracked one eye to glance at her from his place on the floor. "It's the name of the agency that would have taken custody of me. Well, _us,_ if they didn't think they could trust you."

"Oh." Judy looked back to the oddly long name. She muttered to herself, "If the Zootopia Police Department is the _Z.P.D,_ then this would be sil… Silene? No, _S.I.L.E.N.C.E._ OH COME ON! What is this, _Jackal Bond?_ Real agencies don't have names like that!" She threw her arms up in disgust, then dropped her paws to her hips, foot thumping furiously.

Nick chuckled from his place on the floor. The cool, smooth linoleum was kind of comfortable once you got used to it. He let his eyes wander over the curve of Judy's cocked hip as he replied, "I noticed that, too. Looks like someone in command has a flair for the dramatic."

Noticing his distracted tone, Judy looked down at Nick to find him casually checking her out. Seeing his tail slowly wagging across the linoleum, she kicked at it when it next came near. "Stop _ogling_ me, for peat moss' sake!"

"Not the tail!" Nick yelped, grabbing his fluffiest appendage and cradling it to his chest protectively. He held it close and cooed at it, "Don't worry, baby, daddy won't let the bad bunny hurt you no more." He kissed the furry tip tenderly before glaring up at Judy.

The doe rolled her eyes at the tod's overacting. "Glad to see you're back to normal." She walked around the fox before dropping to the floor just above his head, close enough for his ears to brush her hip. She pulled up her knees and rested her arms on them. Her ears fell back and she stared morosely at the floor between her knees.

Nick rolled his head back so he could look at her. Seeing her down expression in profile, he gave a longsuffering sigh. "Whatsamatter, Fluff? You like your pet turtle just got flushed."

"I don't-!" Judy bit off a loud retort. After a moment to collect herself, she started again. "I keep thinking stupid thoughts," she muttered. She began to fiddle with her notepad, turning it over slowly in her paws. "I keep thinking 'I'll just log in to the ZPD Database and look up everything I need to know', but then I remember _I can't do that anymore_ because I'm a criminal now but I just _keep thinking it_ and I have to _keep telling myself_ _I'm a criminal_ and-" Her rambling cut off as Nick's large paw settled over the crook of her arm. She looked down at him only to find the fox once again facing the ceiling, his eyes closed and expression neutral. She smiled softly before placing her paw over his and squeezing the two knuckles she could get her fingers around. They shared a moment of companionable silence, the entire duration of which Nick couldn't actually bring himself to look at her.

Once Judy felt she was calm enough, she said, "Nick, your notes are amazing, but they won't help us. What do we do now?"

Nick sighed before pulling his paw away. He opened his eyes and rolled over so he could prop himself up on one elbow. He gave her a slightly pleading look. "I told you, Carrots. Tropical island. Cantina _._ "

"That's where you want to go, but what about me?"

"Come with me." His plea had her staring at him in open-mouthed shock. "Don't look at me like that. Our lives in Zootopia are over. You saved my life, so I want to return the favor. Come with me. I'll buy you a farm. You can grow bananas and yams and whatever else grows on islands. You won't be a cop and you won't change the world, but you'll get to grow old on a beach without anyone rushing you or telling you what to do. That doesn't sound so bad, does it?"

Judy thought about it. Honestly, she was tempted. Really, badly tempted. But the more she thought about it, the more her heart ached in her chest. She swallowed painfully, before shaking her head. "Nick, I can't."

" _Why?_ " Nick rose up, kneeling before Judy on paws and knees as he tried to understand. "Why can't you go? What could be better than _paradise?_ "

Judy sniffed and wiped her eyes. This fox before her was offering everything he knew how to give, and it genuinely hurt to have to deny him. "It's not that I don't _want_ to go, Nick. It sounds wonderful, but I _can't._ My _dream_ and my _family_ are _here._ I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to get them back. If I gave up without a fight, it would hurt _always._ Can't you understand that?"

"AAGH!" His sleep deprivation once again getting the better of him, Nick put his forehead on the floor and shouted, slamming a fisted paw on the linoleum in his frustration. Judy watched him with bated breath, wondering if this is where he'd leave her to fend for herself, since she was so determined to risk everything. After a few painfully long seconds, Nick spoke, his voice so soft it took all of Judy's gifted hearing to catch it. "I understand."

Nick suddenly pushed himself up so he was leaning on his arms. His face was so close to Judy's that she had to lean back so their noses wouldn't collide. Greens eyes intense, he laid out his terms. "I'll help you. We'll put together a plan and give getting your life back a real shot. Hold nothing back. If it doesn't work, after we both _really try,_ we grow old together on a beach far, far away. Deal?"

Judy swallowed again, a little overwhelmed by Nick's sudden fervor. It only took a second of thought to realize this was the best deal she was going to get. She slowly nodded her head. "Deal."

Nick leaned in even closer, scanning her face for even a shred of doubt or deceit. Judy didn't shrink away, letting him see that she had nothing to hide. Eventually, he raised his right paw and pushed it forward. "Shake on it."

Judy didn't hesitate, pushing her paw into his and gripping it tight. After a single firm pump, the deal was sealed. Nick smiled and stood, using his grip on her paw to pull her up. Once they were both standing, they let their paws fall apart.

"Now what?" Judy asked.

" _Now_ we gather information. You said you wanted to look up everything? Well, I might not be able to get into the ZPD Database, but I know a guy that knows everything there is to know about shadowy government organizations. We'll give him a visit."

Judy immediately saw a problem with that. "How are we going to get there? The whole city must be looking for us right now!"

Nick smiled confidently, unperturbed. "Then we _won't be_ us."

Judy tilted her head at him, eyebrow cocked. "Excuse me?"

The fox turned and made his way to the break room with Judy trailing curiously behind. He turned towards the counter, pulled open one of the cabinet doors and leaned in. When he reappeared, he had a box of fur dye in each paw. Smiling at her dismayed look, he asked, "So, Carrots. 'Angel in the Snow'," he rattled the box on the left, then the one on his right, "or 'Midnight Silver'?"

* * *

Author's note: A thank you to my favorite people: DrummerMax64, Whit, BioPhoenix4810, Erinnyes and Chesterization. MilesUpshur47 has recently joined the Collaborator's and I would like to shout out a big 'WELCOME!'.

Erinnyes and MilesUpshur47 both have good stories. You ought to go check them out.


	21. In Absentia

8:00 A.M, July 11, Precinct 1

The Bullpen was unusually subdued. Gone was the playful banter and roughhousing, replaced instead with urgent whispering as those that had not been there had the events of the previous day explained to them. Some were surprised to see Grizzoli in their midst, having heard about his suspension.

"A _ten-_ HUT!" called the hippo sergeant-at-arms. Everyone stood as Bogo entered the room. With so much tension in the air, no one started up the usual chant, so it was with sepulcher-like silence that the enormous Chief of Police took the podium.

"Be seated." Once the sound of scraping chairs had subsided, Bogo got right into it. "As most of you may have heard, one of our own has freed the only mammal-of-interest in a homicide investigation and fled with him. Judy Hopps is now a fugitive from the law."

The room erupted into murmurs and not a few shouts of outrage. " _ **Quiet!**_ " Bogo shouted. Silence fell once again. After a second to glare down the officers he knew would be most likely to call out, he continued, "This has never happened before. And as far as the public is concerned, I want to keep it that way. _Absolute. Media. Silence._ I don't even want you to use their names or species. From now Hopps is Target Grey and her accomplice, Nick Wilde, is Target Red. If I even _think_ one of you has leaked this to _anyone,_ I'll snatch your badge off your chest so fast you'll think you've been shot. Am I clear!?" he shouted, slamming the podium with his hoof for emphasis.

" **Sir, yes sir!** " the room responded as one.

"Good," he said calmly. He pulled his small reading glasses from his shirt pocket and balanced them on his snout as he continued. "To make sure no one notices a sudden concentration of ZPD resources, most of you will be assigned to search the city. If anyone asks, you're on routine patrols. However, a few of you have been chosen for a joint task force with the sole purpose of locating Targets Grey and Red. When I call your name, head to Conference Room Three." He lifted a list from the podium and began to read it off. "Fangmeyer. Wolford. Higgins. Snarlov. Grizzoli. That's it. The rest of you coordinate with Clawhauser for your patrol assignments."

* * *

The tiger, wolf, hippo and polar bears followed their boss down the hall. When they reached the door with a plaque that read _Conference 3,_ they were brought to a stop by Bogo. He turned to face his officers with a warning glare. "You are going to be told to do things you might not agree with. Don't ask why. The less you know, the easier this will go and the safer you will be. Understand?"

The cops shifted uneasily, unnerved by Bogo's tone. This wasn't professional advice. It was a personal warning. The mammals nodded one-by-one.

Bogo accepted their assent with a near silent grunt and opened the door. Conference Room 3 was dominated by a long, rectangular table with matching chairs. There was a white screen and a powered down projector at one end, perfect for presentations.

As the officers filed in, they found a number of animals already sitting at the table. From the top down sat a white arctic vixen, an unusually small red she-wolf, a black-striped rabbit buck, and finally, a chestnut colored squirrel.

Bogo took the seat at the head of the table with the vixen on his left and his officers on his right. He made introductions as everyone settled, "This is the head of the local ZBI Branch Office, Director Skye Vault, and her associates. Director Vault, this is my team: Fangmeyer; Wolford; Higgins; Snarlov; and Grizzoli." He pointed to each of them in turn. Skye didn't move, but each of the ZPD Officers nodded their heads respectfully as their names were called.

"Time is of the essence, so I'm going to get straight to it," the vixen began. She lifted a remote and pressed a button. The lights dimmed as the projector at the end of the table whirred to life. Everyone turned to watch as the screen was split with a picture of Judy on the left and Nick on the right. "These are Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. They recently escaped ZPD custody. The reasons why don't matter. We told your colleagues that your primary focus was Officer Hopps. While that might be true for the ZPD, the ZBI's primary target is her accomplice, Nick Wilde."

With a press of a button, a profile of Nick appeared on the screen. It included his exact physical characteristics as well as some of the most pertinent details of his life, including his proclivities as a hustler and his association with known crime syndicate the Big Family. "Mr. Wilde has recently come into possession of ultrasensitive government property. He must be captured as soon as possible. However, we cannot allow our enemies, or even our allies, to know what we are doing. If they catch wind of what he is carrying, it could lead to an armed conflict."

"War? Are you talking about a _war?_ " Snarlov asked, stupefied. He wasn't the only one, as all of the ZPD personnel had varying expressions of shock and fear. Only Bogo's expression was neutral, as he had already heard this before.

Skye didn't look perturbed by the interruption, choosing to answer the question. "Yes, I am," she said with gravitas.

"What could be that important?" Fangmeyer asked, looking grave. Skye shook her head.

"I can't answer that. And for your own safety, do not try to find out." Her warning affected them all, the cops' mouths snapping shut as they choked off their questions.

Seeing that the interruptions were over, Skye clicked her remote again. Another slide came on, this one a long list of mammals and locations associated with Nick. "These are currently the best leads we have when it comes Wilde's location. Unfortunately, he has a long list of business associates, none of which stand out as likely to help him. We still need to speak to them all."

"What about the Big connection?" Grizzoli asked, having fully recovered from the earlier shock.

"The ZBI's relationship with the Big Family is complicated at best," Skye answered, all business. "Our sources tell us that no contact has been made between Big and Wilde, but that doesn't mean that they don't know where he is hiding. Unfortunately, the Big's won't speak to the ZBI as a matter of pride. We were hoping the ZPD would have better luck. I understand your relationship with the Family is more… amicable, than ours." No one missed how intently she stared at Grizzoli as she said this. The polar bear shifted slightly, drawing even more attention from his colleagues.

"We will contact the Bigs for you," Bogo's voice cut through the rising tension before it could cause problems. "How do you wish to proceed?"

Skye turned to face Bogo as she pressed another button on her remote. The projector shut down and the lights brightened. "The ZBI will handle most of the data gathering. However, due to the extreme sensitivity of the investigation, we were hoping to tap the ZPD's off-the-book resources."

Wolford, Higgins and Snarlov all perked up, suddenly realizing why they were here. They were the most experienced undercover officers in Precinct 1 and had the most extensive network of contacts and informants. Between the the three of them, they handled over half of the department's criminal resources.

"You don't expect us to burn our CIs, do you?" Higgins asked.

"Only if it is necessary, but _yes_." Skye looked each of them in the eye, trying to impart how serious she was. "Don't forget what's at stake. Not just national security, but national _conflict._ I expect you to do whatever it takes to avoid a war."

The three officers settled back, their discontent plain on their faces. One of the worst taboos of their work was exposing their informants to danger. If word got around that their protection was unreliable, entire networks could dry up overnight. Years of work would be destroyed.

Bogo read this in them as easily he read their nametags. He made a note to speak to them after the meeting and smooth some ruffled feathers.

Skye continued, noting the byplay without acknowledging it, "But this isn't entirely one-sided. In the spirit of cooperation, the ZBI will share resources in turn. Everyone, this is Senior Special Agent Jan Lanskovitch," she waved at the end of the table.

The squirrel that had previously been quietly waiting hopped gracefully onto the table and stood proud. She seemed unusually slim for her kind, though to judge from her thick, healthy fur it wasn't due to a nutritionally lacking diet. She nodded her head in a professional greeting, looking at each of the police officers with piercing grey eyes, ending with Bogo. "Hello. Thank you for having me here, Director Vault and Police Chief Bogo." The two leaders nodded their heads. The squirrel continued, "I will be the liaison for the Rodent Search and Exploration Command. If you have a lead on a location, let me know and R-SEC will have any building searched top to bottom and the occupants won't even know we were there." Professional pride practically oozed out of her.

"I've heard of you." Wolford blinked his eyes at the squirrel, trying to remember. His eyes widened once he figured it out. He leaned forward excitedly and pointed at her. "Yeah! The Sneaky Squirrels! I heard you guys did all kinds of amazing stuff, like disarming landmines and mapping enemy bases and searching disaster debris for survivors."

Jan looked annoyed at being called a 'Sneaky Squirrel', but her expression softened a little when she heard the undisguised admiration in the wolf's voice. She allowed a tiny, modest smile. "Yes, that is some of what we do."

In any other situation, Bogo would have called Wolford out for unprofessional conduct, but, since it seemed to be improving relations with an ally, he would let it pass. Still, to borrow a common wolf phrase, _that was enough butt sniffing._ "Alright. Is there anything else?"

Skye spoke up, "I would like to iron out a few details…"

* * *

The meeting lasted about an hour. In that time, Jack and Ruby were both introduced as liaisons of their departments. Jack freely admitted his allegiance to the ZBI while Ruby would only say she worked for the government. Since Bogo didn't push, the five officers didn't either.

Once Skye left, Bogo set up his three new liaisons in the office next to his, kept empty for just these occasions. The original desk, a copy of Bogo's and therefore much too large for the small wolf, rabbit and squirrel, was pushed up against a wall and appropriately sized desks and chairs were fetched from storage. While the three set themselves up, Bogo slipped away to have a quiet meeting with his officers.

He found them waiting for him in Conference Room 3, having signaled for them to wait at the end of the meeting. Fangmeyer spoke up as soon as he was seated. "Why am I here, Chief? Why was I told? My contacts aren't nearly enough to bother with bringing me into a secret like this."

"I will explain your role in all of this. Please wait a little while longer," Bogo replied. Fangmeyer leaned back in his chair, face patiently resigned. Bogo turned to Wolford, Higgins and Snarlov. "Do you have any questions about your assignment?"

"I do," Snarlov said. Bogo could tell from his tone what his question would be. "Are we really expected to burn our CIs for some- some vague, theoretical threat?"

"I have seen what it is Target Red carries. Believe me when I say that, if anything, its importance was understated. You _will_ do _whatever_ it takes to find that fox." Bogo's voice was cold, hard iron, and no one there was strong enough to bend it. Seeing how unhappy the three officers were with the situation, Bogo compromised as much as he could. "That doesn't mean you _have_ to burn your resources. Start with the low risk informants first. That should take some time, so maybe this will be over before we have to risk any of the more sensitive CIs. But if it comes to it, I expect you to use whatever resources you have. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." The three officers answered as one.

"Then get started."

The wolf, hippo and polar bear stood and left, leaving just Bogo, Fangmeyer and Grizzoli. Bogo looked to Grizzoli. "I already knew about your cousin. Since the first day I hired you. And I know you talk to him."

Grizzoli looked stone-faced. "I figured. Never could slip anything past you, Chief."

"I'm glad you realize that. Now, get down there and find out what the Big Family knows. Promise them anything short of murder. I need intel on Targets Red and Grey and I need it _now._ "

"Yes, Boss." The surly polar bear quickly disappeared out the door, leaving just a tiger and a buffalo.

Fangmeyer shot his boss a look. Rather than demanding answers, it seemed to say 'I'll just keep waiting until you talk'.

Hearing the unspoken message loud and clear, Bogo sighed and began to tap the table with hoof-tipped fingers. After a few seconds of thoughtful drumming, he said, "Fangmeyer, I have no problem with saying you are one of my best officers, even amongst my lieutenants. You're reliable, fair, and trustworthy. The other officers look up to you. They take problems to you they are too scared or embarrassed to bring to me. I allow this to happen because I know you can take care of most problems, and because you're smart enough to bring the ones you can't handle to me. That's what I need you to do now."

The tiger thought about Bogo's words, his claws tapping on his chair's armrests as he considered the full weight of their meaning even as he felt his chest swell with pride. But warm feelings would have to wait, because he wasn't making the connection. "I don't understand. I could have done that without being made aware. It's still risk with no reward."

Bogo grimaced. What he was about to say next turned his stomach. "Let's say… that what you learned today could be a problem if it got out. I need you to do what you always do. Find the officers with problems and help the ones you can. The ones you can't handle…" He sighed wearily. "Bring them to me."

Fangmeyer stiffened as it finally clicked. "Tell me you didn't just ask me to _spy on my own department._ "

Bogo sighed again, raising one hoof to rub at his temple. _Why did he ever take this job?_ "Lives are at stake. Not just your fellow officers, but every citizen in this nation. If this information leaks, mammals _will_ die."

He watched as the tiger officer leaned forward and back, pensively shifting in his seat. Fangmeyer eventually leaned forward until one arm lay on the table. After a few rapid clicks of his claws on the polished wood, he seemed to come to a decision. "I won't… volunteer. Not for something like this."

He stared Bogo in the eye, silently asking for something. Bogo understood. "I order you."

Fangmeyer grit his teeth and glared at the tabletop for a few seconds. Then he pulled himself together. He smoothed his features into a neutral mask, looked his boss in the eye and said, "I understand my orders. I will carry them out to the best of my ability. If that is all?" When Bogo gave a silent nod, the tiger stood and left without another word.

Bogo found himself alone. He leaned forward, put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hooves. He stared off into space, allowing himself a moment's thought. He thought back to when this all began with a few dead bodies on a pier and an overeager rabbit begging to help. He'd had a feeling then that he would come to regret it. Guess he was right. He couldn't help saying aloud, "I never should have let Hopps go on a real investigation. Next time Lionheart tries to force a bunny on me, I'm going to drop the nuisance off in Records and be done with it. Consequences be damned."

* * *

Wolford leaned on the Acquisition's Counter, offering a friendly smile to the big ram sitting in the office chair on the other side. "Hey, Shep. How's the missus?"

Shep didn't react much to the wolf's greeting, continuing to stare dully at the game of solitaire on his computer screen. He calmly moved a seven of clubs as he replied, "She left me. Took the kids."

Wolford stared at the ram with complete befuddlement, not even remotely expecting that answer. "Really? You said she was fine the last time I was here."

"I thought she was," Shep said, flicking through the deck. He stopped as he found the ace of hearts and placed it in a cell. "Turns out I don't listen enough. That's what she said in the divorce papers, anyway."

Wolford was starting to feel trapped. He knew Shep, but he wouldn't call him a friend. The ram's bland retelling of what should have been a devastating turn in his life was making it difficult to figure out a response. Should he comfort him? But what if he was happy the marriage was over? It obviously wasn't affecting him much. Should he congratulate him on starting a new chapter in his life? What if the ram was actually depressed? Congratulating him would be the worst thing to do. _What do I say!?_

A soft, familiar hum wreathed it's way into his thoughts as rhythmic clacks came from down the hall from where he was standing. When he looked up, he spotted a lovely spotted deer walking away from him, heading towards the cubicles.

A relieved smile broke out over his muzzle. "Oh thank god- I mean, good luck with that!" he said to Shep before moving to meet Aura.

The ram's rectangular pupils didn't twitch from his game. "Sure."

"Ms. Hart! Ms. Hart!" The deer turned around to be met with a smiling wolf.

"Oh! Michael. What are doing in the cubicle farm? Chief Bogo didn't leash you, I hope."

The reminder of yesterday's fiasco and the chewing out that followed was enough to make him wince. He forced his smile to remain even as he ducked his head in embarrassment. "Nothing like that. Just a… verbal warning."

The lovely deer's smile turned sympathetic. "Bogo's warnings can be pretty loud and scary, though."

"Well, not really- I mean, sort of? Okay, yeah, he's terrifying."

Aura gave an amused hum. "Hmm. You seem to be taking it well."

Wolford scratched at the back of his neck, abashed. "Well, I've been yelled at before. It's not the first time I've done something stupid."

"Everyone can be stupid sometimes. As long as you don't abuse the privilege, right?" Aura joked.

Wolford managed a chuckle, but it petered off as he realized he didn't know how to respond. There was just a second of awkward silence before Aura jumped back in to fill it, "So. You never told me what you were up to."

Wolford gave her a soft grin as he quickly thought of something to say. It's not like he could tell her what he was actually doing, since Bogo had made it clear he wasn't supposed to talk about his assignment. Time to deflect. "Oh, you know, the usual. Police work. Checking files, running names, interrogating suspects." In a misguided effort to look relaxed and confident, he outstretched his arm to lean against a nearby rack of office supplies and crossed his left left ankle over his right foot. "Ya'know, when I'm not talking to a beautif- **aAH**!" The rack had wheels and it went flying out from under him. His paw instinctively clutched at it as he fell, dragging it down on top of him as he hit the tile and dumping its contents all over him. Wolford now laid under a pile of office supplies.

"Ohmigod, Michael! " Aura quickly grabbed the rack and righted it, lifting it off of Wolford's head. She kneeled down where she saw his snout sticking up out of the mess and cleared the clutter away from his face.

Wolford blinked up at her, his face shocked. After a second to gather his wits, he leaned up to look at the mess he made. Then he fell back down with a thud, his brow wrinkled with frustration. "Ah, biscuits."

Seeing the wolf wasn't injured, Aura let her worry flow out of her with a soft giggle. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just-" he grunted as sat up, boxes of paperclips and blank stationary scattering about. "Ugh- abusing my 'stupid' privileges."

"I can see that," she said, her voice tinged with amusement.

"Better start cleaning this up," he muttered to himself. He twisted his body around and dragged the cart closer. He rose up to his knees and began to pick up the office supplies and began to put them back. He was surprised when Aura began to do the same. "Oh, Ms. Hart, you don't have to help."

"I don't mind."

They worked in silence for a moment while Wolford gathered his nerve. "Thanks for helping, even though it was my fault."

Aura just smiled and continued to work. After a few minutes they had everything picked up and put neatly away on the wheeled rack.

Wolford stood first and offered his paw to Aura, who took it graciously and allowed herself to be pulled up. The cop smiled self deprecatingly. "Thanks again. And sorry for wasting your time. And being an idiot. I guess I'm just bad at this."

"Oh? Bad at what?" she asked knowingly.

Wolford lost any confidence he may have had left. He stuttered and stumbled over his words. "Um. Just- Uh, you know. 'Conversationing'- Uh, 'conversating'? Oh, 'talking' might be the particular word I was- Ugh." He gave up with a sigh, dropping his head to stare at the ground in defeat. "I'm a clutz."

When Aura saw the wolf's downtrodden look, the deer decided to cheer him up. "Hey, come on. If every cute guy had good balance there'd be nothing to joke about." Her remark caught Wolford by surprise. He couldn't help but manage a small laugh.

"Heh, yeah I guess tha- Wait. You think I'm cute?" He never got his answer as the deer left him with a soft smile and a simple goodbye.

"Have a good day, Michael." She gave him a small peck on the side of his muzzle and turned away to continue down the hall, leaving a frozen wolf in her wake.

He stared after her in wonder, raising a paw to brush his finger pads over where he could still feel her lips on the side of his muzzle. "She thinks I'm cute," he whispered to himself with a smile.

* * *

Author's note: A big thank you to my collaborators: DrummerMax64, BioPhoenix4810, Erinnyes, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47 and especially to Whit, who wrote the scene that became the end of this chapter for me. I didn't know what to do and he really came through for me.


	22. Batshit Crazy Bat Goes Batshit Crazy

When Judy stepped out of the bathroom wearing only an oversized towel, Nick gave a low whistle of appreciation. The cloth actually revealed less of her curves than her tight uniform, but he was definitely seeing more fur. Gone was the grey and white. Now it was dark, only a few shades short of true black. While her pink nose stood out, what really caught his attention was her eyes. They were so vibrantly violet that they stood out like amethysts embedded in coal. "Looking _good,_ Carrots. Black is just, ah!, _so you,_ " he teased, flicking his wrist at her as he'd seen fashionistas do in the movies.

"I don't know," Judy said unsurely, holding up the arm that wasn't gripping her towel for inspection. "There actually aren't that many rabbits this dark. Isn't this kind of conspicuous?"

"Well, it was either this or the 'Angel in the Snow'. Didn't you say white wouldn't be that much of a change for you?"

Judy looked down at her feet, mourning her now black digits. She _liked_ her grey and white toes! "Yeah, I did say that. Why don't you have any other colors? You seem to have an abundance of _everything else._ "

Nick shrugged under her half-curious, half-annoyed gaze. "There are really only three colors of fox in my size. White, black and red. There are others, but they have complicated fur patterns. Since I'm already red, I got the other two colors that I thought would work. And if you _did_ have the choice, what color would you choose? Hot pink?"

Judy sighed and turned to go back to the bathroom and get dressed. "Whatever."

* * *

Once again in her uniform, sans badge and radio of course, Judy sighed and tapped her foot. She fidgeted, repeatedly reaching for a phone that wasn't there to check the time. When she couldn't take it anymore, she called out, "Nick! What's taking you so long?"

His voice drifted from the bathroom, sounding a little miffed. "The answer is the same as seventy-four seconds ago! White dye comes in two parts, so it takes twice as long!"

"It's been at least three times as long as me!"

"I also have four times as much fur as you, not to mention I have to work around a giant hole in my chest! So, how about you _shut your mouth and let me work?!_ " Nick's voice rose from miffed to angry, making Judy wince from the sharp tone. She opened her mouth to ask him what his problem was, but snapped it closed when she remembered _exactly_ what his problems were. Insomnia and becoming a fugitive would probably make anyone testy. An impatient rabbit's constant pestering probably wasn't helping. She opened her mouth to apologize, but decided against it. He asked for quiet, so she'd give him quiet.

A few minutes of completely silent fidgeting later, the fox stepped out from the bathroom with the same ragged towel around his hips. "What do you think?"

Judy's mouth went dry. The effect of the dye on Nick's appearance was profound. The unbroken field of white softened and enhanced his features. The lines of his face and body were dimmed almost into nonexistence, but his eyes, _oh god his eyes!,_ shone out of his face with laser-like intensity. They, along with his aloof expression and the softly glowing sphere in his chest, all conspired to give him an otherworldly appearance.

When Judy just continued to stare, Nick rose an eyebrow. "Hello? Space Command to Captain Carrots, respond."

Snapped out of her staring, Judy stammered out a reply. "Um, ah, you look- you look- Wow! Uh, _different_ is a good word. You look different."

Nick tilted his head at her. "...Okay. Different is good. I'm going to get dressed now." He shot her another curious look before turning and disappearing into the bathroom.

Once he was out of sight, Judy slumped and slapped her forehead, mortified at how hot her face felt under her paw. "Cheese and crackers…"

* * *

A few minutes later, the two were dressed and ready to go. However, as they were approaching the employee entrance, Judy was surprised when the now white fox suddenly diverted to the side. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I want to show you something," he said simply.

The rabbit caught up to him with a few quick steps and looked up at him curiously as they walked. "What is it?"

Nick smiled mysteriously. "If I told, that would ruin the surprise."

Judy gave him a flat look and an even flatter reply. "We don't have time for surprises, Nick. Try to take this seriously."

The fox shook his head and sighed. "Carrots, you are going to work yourself into an early grave with that attitude. Everything about this situation sucks, so why not enjoy the little things while you can?"

Since she couldn't think of a response that didn't sound petulant, Judy chose instead to settle back and allow herself to be led.

Nick approached one of the many covered shapes. He reached up and jerked the tarp off, waving at what was revealed with only a little flourish. "Ta da."

It was a white, four-door sedan. Judy's brows raised up in surprise, not at how ordinary it looked, but because he had it _at all._ "But, you don't have a driver's license."

Nick turned to look at her with a raised brow. "How would you know that?"

"Er, you know, you just don't seem like the type…" She trailed off, wilting under his knowing gaze. "I looked you up after the first time we met."

"Looking for probable cause, I assume. Hope you weren't too disappointed when you couldn't find any warrants for my arrest."

Judy looked down, scuffing the dusty concrete floor with her foot. "You were kind of a jerk."

"You were kind of a condescending speciest, but hey, no one's perfect." The fox walked to the driver side, leaving Judy rooted to her spot, her face twisted in shame. The sound of the car door opening and closing jolted her into awareness. Keeping her head down, she quickly walked to the passenger door and got in.

When she was settled, she found Nick rubbing his paws together, staring intently at the steering wheel. He reached for the ignition, which had a key she hadn't seen him produce. Twisting the key, the scratchy whine of the engine turning over resulted. When it just seemed to go on, he muttered, "Come on, baby, use that expensive battery daddy bought. Yes!" The engine warmed and sputtered to life, coughing through the first few revolutions and then smoothing out into a gentle purr.

Nick let out a sigh of relief and rubbed the steering wheel affectionately. "Alright. Dig into that glove box and give me the… grey one, I think."

Judy did as she was told without comment. When the compartment thudded open, she found three wallets, identical except for the color. One was black, one was mahogany, and the last was a dark grey. She grabbed it and held it out for him to take.

Nick grabbed the wallet, but was stymied when Judy's grip didn't relent. He looked at her curiously. The rabbit spoke, her eyes fixed on the open glove compartment, "If I apologized, would that mean anything?"

The fox stared at her for a brief, thoughtful moment. "I would like to think so," he said, slowly.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, just long enough for their gazes to meet. Then she was looking back at the black and red wallets. "I'm sorry… about being condescending. I'm sorry about being small-minded. I'm sorry I said you never tried, even though I didn't know you at all. It was awful and stupid and I never should have said it."

Nick stared some more, working his jaw thoughtfully. Eventually, he decided she was being genuine. He thought that deserved a genuine reply. "Thank you. It means a lot that you would say that. More than I can explain."

Judy nodded her head and released her grip. Nick tucked the wallet into his sweatpants, put the car in gear and they were off.

* * *

A few minutes later, they were driving back into Zootopia. As they left the rolling hills and open fields behind, Nick pulled into a gas station. After a quick glance around revealed no obvious reason for them to stop, Judy looked at Nick. "Are we here?"

"Nope, just need to get some basics. This place sells shirts in your size, and colored contacts. And coffee. If I don't get caffeine soon I'm going to drive us into a ditch."

"Oh." There came a long silence after. When Nick didn't move, Judy asked, "Do you want me to go?"

Nick looked at her with mild surprise, looking like he'd just been interrupted from some deep train of thought. "Hm? Oh, no, I'm going. Just psyching myself up. I hate this part."

Judy looked at him confusedly. "Going into a gas station?"

The look he shot her told her in no uncertain terms how poorly he thought of her guess. Rather than reply, he opened the console that sat between them. He reached in, pulled out a package and held it up for her to see. She blinked at it curiously. "Bobby pins?"

"Yup," Nick said, like that explained everything. He tore the package open, fished one out and brought it to his ear.

Judy watched with curiosity as he worked. She sat up straighter when he winced and grunted. "What are you _doing?_ "

"Just a little cosmetic surgery, Carrots," he said as he picked up another bobby pin. "Did you know I ran a clinic once? Ah!" He hissed as he applied it, then turned to face her. "What do you think? Looks pretty good, right?"

Judy tilted her head. "Huh." Using the two bobby pins, Nick had folded and shortened one ear. It looked remarkably like he had one fox ear and one, much shorter, wolf ear. He even managed to hide most of what he did in his fur, so it would pass most casual inspections. "That's pretty good. Where did you learn that?"

Nick picked up two more bobby pins and went to work on his other ear. "Not my first time doing this. You'd be surprised how much you can get done if no one knows you're a fox. Just wish it didn't pinch so much." With a final wince, he pulled his paw away to reveal that both ears were now short and pointed, very much like a wolf's. Then he reached back into the console and fished out an irregularly shaped half cylinder, with the outside covered in white fur. Before Judy could ask, Nick had pushed it down over his muzzle. It was a prosthetic, widening his narrow snout into something that resembled a wolf's. The fur even blended in with his newly dyed coat. He turned and gave her a friendly smile, looking exactly like a scrawny white wolf. The only part she could recognize was his green eyes. "Wish me luck."

* * *

"-the veteran of three deployments said he ran the marathon as a way of lifting others-"

As Nick shuffled through the shirts on the rack, he kept one ear on the news blaring from the tv mounted above the counter. Spotting one that looked right for Judy, he grabbed it off the hangar and laid it over his arm, then started to look for one for him. That ridiculous pink monstrosity that Judy gifted him, while appreciated, was just too noticeable.

"-still no word from the Zootopia Police Department as to what happened yesterday." If they weren't pinned down, his ears would have pricked. He turned to look at the broadcast. The attractive snow leopard news host, Fabienne Growley, was talking. "Sources say that Precinct 1, here in City Center, was evacuated due to possible terrorist attack. However, no injuries or arrests were reported. At this time-"

Nick turned back to the shirts, the rest of the report going unheard. Though he appeared to be casually shopping, his thoughts raced. His escape with Judy wasn't being reported. Why? The first step the ZPD always took was to put fugitives' names and faces in the news in the hopes a citizen would see them and report it.

But not this time.

Nick hurried to gather his supplies, troubled by the change.

* * *

Nick returned with a plastic bag in one paw and a hoodie for Judy and a couple t-shirts in the other. The clothes were all green with a lizard mascot over some local school's logo. Judy put the hoodie on over her uniform and took off her duty belt, kneepads and foot wraps. Without them, it looked like she was wearing leggings under her new jacket. She took off the elbow pads, too.

Once that was done, Nick pushed a trucker cap at her. "Here, put this on and keep your head down. Pretend you're sleeping. If the cameras can't see your face, we won't have a problem."

* * *

After another forty-five minutes, Nick pulled into a slummy neighborhood on the edge of the Rainforest District. There wasn't any rain, but somehow everything looked damp and moldy anyway.

Before they stepped out of the sedan, Nick reached into the plastic bag and pulled out two cardboard boxes. He passed one to Judy. She looked down to find the picture of an eye staring back at her, colored a striking ash, with 'Marble Gray' printed beneath it. When she looked over at Nick, she found him already leaned back and gently placing a contact over one of his eyes. After a few blinks he looked at her, his eyes now a jarring mismatch of green and yellow. "What's wrong?"

"Oh! Uh, it's just, I've never…" She held the box up and waved it. "I don't know how to use these."

Nick gave her a half-sardonic, half-sympathetic smile. "Well, good news is you're going to learn a new skill. Bad news is it's going to suck."

* * *

As they walked down the street, Judy reached under the rim of her trucker hat and rubbed at her eyes for the umpteemth time, only for Nick to reach over and pull her arm away. "Stop that. You're just making it worse," he scolded.

"But they _hurt,_ " she complained.

Nick sighed. "I know. That's the problem with gas station contact lenses: they're cheap. But you'll get used to it," he reached over and grabbed her arm before she could touch her face again, " _if_ you don't scratch."

As her eyes itched and throbbed and watered, Judy didn't know if she could. "Nnnnhh!" she whined.

With a roll of his now yellow eyes (which itched and throbbed too, thank you very much!), Nick reached down and grabbed Judy's paw. "Here, close your eyes and roll them around. It'll help. I'll lead you."

Judy shot him a bloodshot, sideways glance. "Promise not to walk me into a pole?"

Nick smiled at her like he thought she was smart for asking. "I promise."

* * *

It was only a couple minutes later when Nick led them into a shabby, shady looking tenement. By this time the worst of the irritation had passed, and Judy watched with wary, slate grey eyes as they passed a trio of huge bulls wearing gym shorts and tight, sleeveless shirts on the stairs. They were less thickly muscled than Bogo, but their horns were longer and covered in tribal tattoos. The bulls also noticed their passing, and it didn't escape her notice when one of them pulled out a smartphone once there was a little distance.

Judy pressed closer to Nick and whispered, "Where are we?"

"Where the law dare not tread," he said lightly.

"Nick…"

"We're going to see a cousin of mine. He knows a lot and can get us things."

The disguised fox led them to the stairwell and up several flights. They passed several mean-looking ungulates along the way. Judy was uncomfortable with how closely their passing was noted.

On the fifth floor, they exited the stairwell. Nick stopped before a door meant for large mammals marked with a plaque that read _511_ and turned to Judy. "I'm going to warn you now. This guy is crazy, and he is going to say a lot of crazy stuff. _Don't. Argue._ This will be hard enough without a ninety minute rant about the lizard people, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Let's get this over with." Nick turned to the door and rapped sharply twice, waited exactly seven seconds, knocked three times, waited four more seconds, then knocked twice more.

Almost immediately, Judy's sensitive ears picked up a rapid fluttering sound, like the beating of wings. She gave the door a very curious look. The strangeness was only compounded when a squeaky voice that was completely at odds with the large door asked, "What dost thou know me for?"

Judy thought it couldn't get any weirder, but Nick proved her wrong when he cleared his throat and answered _in verse,_ "A knave; a rascal; an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a lily-livered, action-taking knave, a whoreson, glass-gazing, super-serviceable finical rogue; one-trunk-"

"Alright, alright!" the voice interrupted. "Has to be that wiseass Nick Wilde, no one else can get it that right." The sound of lock after lock shifting and bolt after bolt scraping went on for nearly thirty seconds before the door finally pulled open a few inches. The room beyond was so dark that Judy couldn't see anything. She scanned upwards, but didn't see anything. A flash of movement drew her eyes down. She was surprised to find the glinting of eyes staring back at them from close to her level. Whatever it was, it was shorter than her by a few inches. "Going with the arctic wolf look, I see. Better not be screwing with Big again. Who's the floozy?"

Judy rocked back, then glared, affronted. "What did you-!"

Nick's paw on her shoulder stopped her short. "Ahem. This is my associate. We have business."

"That right?" Nick noted with interest that his contact didn't know why he was here. That meant that not only the news of Judy's and his plight not publicly available, but that word hadn't spread around the underground, either. That could only result from deliberate action. Someone was actively working to suppress the information. Interesting.

Judy and the eyes behind the door leered at each other for a moment before the door opened the rest of the way. The light in the hallway revealed something that had the bunny blinking in shock. Reddish fur, a dark face and ears on top of a tiny body, and huge, leathery wings. It was a bat!

Judy turned to Nick. " _This_ is your _cousin?_ " she asked with disbelief.

He just smiled. "Sure. I'm a fox, he's a flying fox. We're practically family."

The flying fox in question glared his huge, brown eyes at the tod. "Don't insult me, ground-dweller. I'm better than any smelly dirt breather. Get in here before someone sees you."

Nick ducked into the darkened interior, with Judy following reluctantly. Once they were inside, the large bat scanned the hallway suspiciously before closing the door with a moan of exertion.

They were surrounded by darkness for a few seconds before the lights came on with a click. The dim light, designed for a nocturnal mammal's eyes, revealed an apartment meant for much larger mammals than Nick's 'cousin'. It was also a cluttered mess, with newspapers and boxes and files and books and on and on. The place should have seemed cavernous to the flying fox, who only weighed a few pounds, but there was so much junk that Judy had to wonder where he had room to live.

"What do ya want?" spat the bat as he walked past them on all fours, using his massive (compared to his body) arms for support.

If he was put off by the surly attitude, Nick didn't show it. Wearing his usual laid-back smile, he said, "What, I can't visit my old friend Spaz?"

"My name is ' _Pazel'_ you bushy tailed shlock receptacle!" the now named Pazel stopped to shout over his shoulder, then turned and stalked into a narrow space between the towering stacks.

The pair might have been able to squeeze in after him, but that ran a serious risk of upsetting the haphazard stacks. Not wanting to be crushed by a thousand pounds of obsession, the fox and rabbit wisely lingered by the door.

"Isn't that what I said?" Nick asked flippantly.

"Get to the point before I claw your eyes out!" Pazel's high-pitched voice streamed from somewhere in the mess.

"I need information. And a new identity."

"What kind of information?"

"The government is after me. My life is over until I can get them off my back. I need to know my enemy."

"Ha! Yeah right. What, did a dock inspector catch you with a box of rotten fish?"

"Ever heard of S.I.L.E.N.C.E?"

A shadow darted from amongst the boxes and crashed into Nick, throwing him up against the door. Pazel clung to the much taller fox, clinging to him with his hooked thumb claws on his shoulders and the wicked talons on his feet, meant for digging into wood, on the tod's stomach. The much smaller mammal pressed himself nose to nose with the shocked fox, his face and voice manic. "Say it! Say that again!"

"Er, uh-" Nick stammered, caught completely off-guard.

"Get off him!" Judy sprung into action, grabbing the bat and trying to pry him off.

Not to be denied, the bat's impressive claws dug into Nick to keep their hold, causing the fox to cry out, "AH! God, Judy, stop!"

The rabbit, seeing blood, backed off, but kept her paws hovering over Pazel in case she had to intervene. The crazy bat continued to berate Nick as though nothing happened. "Tell me!" he shouted, thumping Nick's shoulders against the cheap wood panel for emphasis.

"S.I.L.E.N.C.E! Alright?! S.I.L.E.N.C.E!" Nick shouted back, the pain from the claws digging into his flesh plain on his face.

The bat jumped off Nick, causing the fox to cry out as the talons were pulled from his flesh. As the fox slumped to the floor, Judy rushed to his side. Seeing the bloodstains growing on his hoodie, Judy glared over her shoulder at the culprit. "What is wrong with you?!"

But Pazel was too distracted. Rather than fear or worry, he seemed to be thrilled. The flying fox spread his huge wings out, wider than Nick was tall, and practically danced a jig. "I knew it! I _knew_ it! It _is_ real! Ha _ha!_ "

"What's real, you psychotic fruitcake!?" Nick asked from his spot curled up by the door, his paws pressed over the gashes on his stomach.

"The reptilian council! I've theorized for years that they controlled the government, but now I have proof! _Proof!_ " he called back gleefully.

"The _lizard people?!_ You tore me up for- Son of a three-legged _frog,_ that stings!" Nick hissed, clutching his stomach.

Judy kneeled next to him and gently pulled one of his paws away. Seeing the bloody gashes across his belly, she told him, "Nick, you might need stitches."

Finally noticing the damage he'd caused, Pazel blanched at the crimson staining Nick's front. "Uh, did I do that?"

"Yes, you _did,_ " Judy spat over her shoulder before turning back to Nick. Her face softened dramatically as she looked at her companion's pained expression. "C'mon, let's get you out of here."

Seeing the rabbit tenderly help the ailing fox to his feet, Pazel twiddled his thumb claws and rocked anxiously. "You're not _leaving,_ are you? You have to tell me about S.I.L.E.N.C.E! You _have_ to!"

"We don't have to tell you _anything,_ you little monster," Judy bit out.

Seeing Nick reach for the doorknob, the large bat stepped forward, only to stop short when Judy slipped out from under Nick's arm and took a stance between them. The rabbit glared, her expression promising violence.

Nick paused with his paw on the knob to see if there would be a fight. When Pazel and Judy didn't do anything but stare at each other, he twisted the knob.

Seeing his only chance slip away, Pazel desperately blurted out, "Just- just, c'mon, tell me how you know it was S.I.L.E.N.C.E. Who told you?"

Nick, knowing it would pain the bat to know, told him the truth. "No one told us. They issued a warrant for my arrest. A warrant that we have in our possession."

The bat's reaction was exactly what he'd hoped for. "You have a _document?!_ "

Judy caught on immediately. "That's right. One you'll never see," she promised with venom.

The bat dragged his thumbs down his face the way a mammal with paws would if they were desperate. "Ohh- ohh- wait, nono, you're messing with me. They don't make documents."

Nick decided to twist the knife while he had the chance. "Strategic Internal Logistics and Enforcement, Non-Civil Extension."

Pazel was convinced. His face twisted in desperation and he started to reach out, only to pull his wings back when Judy twitched towards him. "No! No, wait! I _need_ that document! I _have_ to have it!"

Nick was halfway out the door when he called over his shoulder. "Too bad."

"Wait! Wait, I'll tell you everything! You said you needed to know about them. I can tell you!" He held his wings out, imploring them.

Judy wasn't having it. "We don't need to know about _lizard people._ "

The bunny began to back away after Nick, keeping a watchful eye on the large bat.

"Ahh!" Pazel cried despairingly. "You said you need a new identity! I'll make you a new one, free of charge!"

Judy's backwards momentum came to a halt as she bumped into Nick. She looked up to see the underside of his muzzle sticking back into the room. She knew what it meant and she didn't like it. "Nick, no, he's dangerous-"

"A new one for her and an upgrade for mine. With history," Nick interrupted, his eyes focused on Pazel.

The bat nodded his head rapidly. "Done! Deal! Just bring me that document!" he squeaked with mounting glee.

"The I.D.s first," Nick demanded.

"Equal exchange," Pazel bargained. "You bring the document, I'll give you the I.D.s."

"Fine. When will they be ready?"

"Two weeks."

"WHAT?!" Judy exploded. "It can't be that long!"

"It _has_ to be!" Pazel fretted. "I need time to create history, then I have to access the archives. If S.I.L.E.N.C.E. is after you, then I have to be careful! Any mistake could bring them down on us."

Nick touched Judy's shoulder, careful of the blood on his paw. When she turned to look up at him, her pained expression made his soften. "Carrots, he's right. We can't rush this."

"Nick, my family…"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I have pictures of white wolf Nick from last time," Pazel interrupted. "But I have no pictures of the rabbit. She'll have to stay for awhile."

"I know," Nick said, looking at Pazel. "Is Linda still in three-oh-one?"

"Yes, she is."

"Alright." He dropped his gaze to Judy, who stared at the floor, shaking under the weight of her impotency. _Two weeks?! Her parents were going to die from worry!_ Her head snapped up when Nick nudged her. When he had her attention, he said, "You stay here and let Spaz take your picture. I'm going to get stitched up, but I'll be back as soon as I can. Okay?"

Judy shakily nodded her head. "Okay," she agreed, her voice weak.

Nick shot the bat behind her a glance before looking back at her. "If he tries anything, break his wings. He types with his feet. Then kick him in the ribs for me."

Judy turned to stare at Pazel. She noted with interest how hand-like and dexterous his feet were. She promised Nick while still eyeing the bat, "I'll do that."

* * *

Author's Note: My Collaborators: DrummerMax64, Whit, BioPhoenix4810, Erinnyes, Chesterization and MilesUpshur47. I don't know if I could write this story without them, much less getting it to such quality. I can't thank them enough.


	23. Mistakes Worth Making

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fantastic news! [Secrets_of_Starfang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secrets_of_Starfang/profile), of [Embrace It](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8556601/chapters/19617586) fame, has written an AU one shot based on this story! It's like EEE has its very own OVA! [Check it out!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10737804)

It was getting dark by the time Judy and Nick climbed into the sedan. After tucking a manila envelope into the console and pulling on her seat belt, Judy leaned her head back and blew out an exhausted sigh. Her new, fake identity included a complete electronic history. Pazel had taken hundreds, maybe thousands of pictures of her to fill in social media profiles for websites like Furbook, Instagoat and Chirper. She was exhausted.

"Where do you find these crazy animals?" she asked wearily.

Nick smiled sardonically down at his bloodied hoodie. Where indeed? "The Internet, of course. It's amazing what you can find if you know where to look." He reached forward and plied the ignition.

Judy rolled her head across the cushion to eye him, wondering if he was kidding or not. "The Internet? Where do you go, 'Doomsday Conspiracies R Us' dot com?"

"That's more accurate than you might think, Carrots," Nick said as he pulled out onto the road.

He could just see her deadpan expression out of the corner of his eye. "Really."

"Really."

"Well, if it's just that easy to find these quacks, why hasn't _Spaz_ been arrested for identity fraud?"

"I didn't say you could find his address and criminal proclivities on _Poogle,_ Fluff. I said you had to know where to look."

"If you had to _know,_ then someone had to tell you."

"Someone did."

"Who?"

"Someone."

"What, are you afraid I'm going to turn them in?"

"Ha!" Nick's laugh had way more scorn than Judy expected. "I wish you would."

"Why?"

"Because it was Honey. Honey taught me."

There was a brief, tense, awkward silence. Nick kept his eyes on the road, paws squeezing the steering wheel. Judy could hear the rubber creaking. Since it would be a bad idea to get out of her seat, she settled for, "I'm sorry."

"What for? You didn't do anything."

"I'm sorry you're hurting."

For once, Nick didn't know what to say.

* * *

Judy dozed off after that, pulling her hat down over her eyes so she wouldn't have to worry about cameras. Modern facial recognition software didn't care about fur color after all, depending mostly on bone structure for mammals with short fur. Until she could get a prosthetic like Nick's, she would need to be wary.

The sun was completely gone by the time they returned to the Last Resort. Nick pulled his car through the employee entrance, his fox scaled vehicle easily making it through the elephant-sized door. Soon, they were eating dinner on the stairs.

Despite how hungry she knew she should be, Judy only managed a few bites of her 'Luscious Lentils'. She dropped her plastic spoon into the thick soup and pushed it around, absently watching the little lens-shaped legumes move to and fro.

Beside her, Nick noticed the rabbit staring morosely into her bowl. Having removed his disguise earlier, along with switching his bloody hoodie for the green shirt he bought at the gas station, he once again looked like a fox, though one with white fur and poor fashion taste. "If you don't like beans, I'll trade you mine."

Pulled from her contemplation, Judy looked over to see Nick holding his bowl out to her, which was still half full of some rice dish. "What? Oh. No, it's okay. My food's fine. And, uh, lentils aren't beans."

Nick glanced at her bowl. "Look like beans to me. Smell like em', too."

Judy shook her head. "Don't make me lecture you on all the ways beans and lentils are different. I can, you know. It's a big deal where I grew up."

"I might take you up on that. A horticultural lecture might just cure my insomnia."

Judy's lip twitched, trying to lift into a smile, "Mmhm. Dad's farming stories always worked better than mom's lullabies. He could knock out a whole room by talking about his favorite _Vigna unguiculata_ and how it was better than the common _Phaseolus vulgaris_."

"I, too, would welcome sleep as an escape from such terrible pain."

Judy gave him a little shove, glaring playfully. "Be nice."

The pair fell into another silence, though this was more companionable than the one before. Judy glanced at the binder she stole from the ZPD, still propped up against the filing cabinet they had slept in last night. Now, it had a manila envelope tucked into it, filled with all of the information that Pazel could provide. Sort of. The crazy bat could fill an encyclopedia with all of the atrocities he _suspected_ S.I.L.E.N.C.E. of being responsible for. But when Judy asked for concrete evidence, details were depressingly sparse. He could only provide copies of documents that may or may not be authentic, and even if they were real, they only proved that the department existed. They didn't know where it was based, who ran it, or even what it was supposed to do. There was just too much speculation and not enough facts.

"Nick?"

"Carrots."

"What do we do now?"

Nick hummed thoughtfully before setting his bowl aside. He leaned forward and settled his elbows on his knees, paws knit together. "I thought about it while you were busy with Spaz. The only thing that can fix this is the truth."

Judy set aside her own bowl and turned to face Nick, sitting cross-legged on the large step with her paws in her lap. "What do you mean?"

"We have to get the word out. We have to tell everyone what happened. The only thing that can protect us is public opinion. If word gets out that the government is murdering its own citizens, they'll have no choice but to back off."

Judy tilted her head, contemplating his words. It seemed like a solid idea. If the citizens of Zootopia found out that government agents, or government backed mercenaries, or…

Come to think of it, she didn't know who those black suited soldiers were, only that they had a connection to Ruby the she-wolf, who then was connected to S.I.L.E.N.C.E. They would have to prove that connection too, probably.

Back to her original thought. Once mammals found out about the government backed atrocity happening right in their backyard, there would be a massive outcry. Maybe even enough to completely dismantle S.I.L.E.N.C.E. in a wave of federal investigations and reforms. The question then became: How to let the public know?

"I don't suppose you know anybody in the news?"

Nick shook his head. "Sorry, Carrots. I know a couple of low-level guys, but they wouldn't trust me with something like this."

"What about me? They might trust a cop."

Nick took a second to think it over before answering. "...maybe they would. But we don't have enough evidence. If we don't have an airtight case, this will never sound like anything but a conspiracy theory. And if we _did_ convince them anyway," he stressed, cutting off Judy's objection before it could form, " _they_ would have to investigate. You can bet your last dollar that Super Evil Government Agency Incorporated would notice a journalist snooping around. Might even make them disappear."

Judy rocked back in surprise, not even having considered that other mammal's lives could be at risk if they handled this wrong. "I guess that means we'll have to do the investigating."

Nick's half-lidded stare spoke volumes about what _he_ thought it meant, but he agreed with her anyway. "I suppose so."

Calling it an investigation actually helped Judy immensely. Having studied investigation techniques for years, she felt she finally had a grip on this crazy situation. She began to run the steps through her head, modifying them for the situation.

Skipping some steps, because they all determined _if_ an investigation was necessary and she already knew this one definitely was, she arrived at her first order of business: Gather the data she already had.

That was too easy. Nick was attacked while facilitating someone's secret departure from Zootopia. Then he was bonded to something no one had ever seen before. Then he was attacked again while en route to a hospital, an attack that left two EMTs and a nameless mercenary dead. Then a secretive government agency reached out to demand Nick's custody. When Judy realized their agent had been complicit in the attack on the ambulance, she had been forced to flee with Nick to ensure his safety. That summed up what they already knew.

The next step, from a procedural point of view, was to interview everyone involved. Well, Nick had already been interviewed and he didn't know anything. Trying to interview anyone from S.I.L.E.N.C.E. wouldn't just be difficult, it would likely lead to their capture or their deaths. That just left the only other witness: Ms. Hertz. As far as Judy knew, the lioness was still missing. So, they needed to find her and get her to talk.

Whether that worked out or not, the next step was to gather the physical evidence. That meant documents, recordings, samples, any proof at all of wrongdoing. Giving that a bit of thought, the most obvious evidence was probably the footage from the ambulance dash cam. All public service vehicles had them. Then they would need to check to see if any record existed of Ruby's voice over the dispatch radio.

Thinking of the ambulance actually reminded her of the bear Nick had been forced to kill. If they could determine his identity, they might be able to determine where he came from and why he was there. She wasn't sure what else there could be and resolved to think about it more later.

After that, all they could do was gather the evidence into a coherent whole, send it to every journalist they could get into contact with and hope it ended up on the six o'clock news. If that didn't work, Judy didn't know what would. At that point, she would probably let Nick sweep her away to be 'comfortably obscure', whatever that meant.

Summing everything up in her head left a rather short list:

One: Find and interview the lioness Ms. Hertz.

Two: Look into the ambulance records.

Three: Determine the bear's past.

Four: Gather contact information of every journalist they could find.

That was it. Perhaps they would find out more later, but for now this was all she could think to do.

"Is that smoke coming out your ears or is your brain venting steam?"

Judy snapped out of her contemplation to find Nick staring at her with half-lidded eyes, evidently amused by her thoughtful expression. Choosing not to fall for the bait, she instead shared with him what she had worked out. The fox sat and patiently listened, then thoughtfully scratched his chin.

"I might be able to help. I know plenty of criminals that make it their business to know when competition is around. So maybe we can use that to track down where Hertz and the crazy bear have been.

"I know two or three ambulance chasers that monitor everything that goes on in the official channels, hoping to snap up a lawsuit. Thinking back on it, they would definitely have zeroed in on a sudden change in the middle of an ambulance ride.

"As for the news guys…" He hummed thoughtfully as he leafed through his mental contact book. It didn't look very promising, but he came up with another idea. "Maybe we could mail it. If we send out a bunch of packages at the same time to all of the networks, maybe even a few outside of Zootopia, _someone_ ought to read them and spread the word. Unless everyone really really is as dumb as I fear they are, but in that case we're doomed to fail anyway."

* * *

Judy and Nick both agreed that the day had gone on long enough. While Judy occupied herself in the bathroom (it wasn't just bathing herself. Her uniform and underwear were starting to get kind of fragrant) Nick sat on the stairs. Once he was sure his companion was busy, the fox reached into his sweatpants pocket, pulled his fist out and opened it. There, laying in his palm, was a large blue pill. Staring down at it, he thought back to how he got it:

_Nick sat up off the plastic covered table, rolling his hoodie down to cover the gauze wrapped around his stomach. "Thanks, Linda. You're a saint."_

_A key deer, a smaller subspecies of whitetails, stood nearby, wearing soft lavender scrubs. "I ain't no saint," the doe disagreed, pulling off her rubber gloves and throwing them in the trash. "A_ saint _would patch you up for free." She punctuated her point with a sharp look._

_Nick's usual laid-back smile emerged. "Don't worry, Linda. I won't forget your fee." The fox hopped down off the table, only to stumble woozily. A quick grab onto a nearby chair kept him from hitting the floor._

" _You didn't lose_ that _much blood," Linda chided, thinking he was trying to hustle her._

" _It's not that," Nick said as he rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I haven't slept in three days."_

_The deer looked at him, intrigued. Insomnia was pretty unusual around these parts. Most mammals she knew drank themselves into a coma when they had trouble sleeping. "Medical? Work? Stress?"_

_Nick raised his eyes to regard her warily. Having adamantly refused to raise his hoodie higher than his ribs, he knew she_ did not _know about the orb in his chest, and he intended to keep it that way. "Can't talk about it. Let's just call it 'all of the above'."_

" _Is insomnia normal for you?"_

" _First timer. Usually, I'm a child blessed by the somnolent gods."_

" _Interesting. Have you tried anything? Drugs of any kind?"_

" _No, I have not. Why? Do you have some?" Nick meant it as a joke, but was surprised when the deer strode across the kitchen, opened a drawer and pulled out a pill bottle._

_The deer quickly twisted the cap off and dumped some of the contents into her hoof. She held it out for him to see. He looked at the fat blue pills with some degree of skepticism. "I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. I don't have any problem_ performing, _thank you very much."_

_Linda rolled her eyes. "Not every blue pill is for peckers, you ape. The bigger ones are sleep aids."_

" _Ah," Nick said sagely. "The little ones get you up and the big ones put you down, eh?"_

_The doe glared, already fed up with this poorly disguised fox's bad humor. She had easily seen through his flimsy disguise during her examination, but didn't bother with calling him out on it. It would just make him likely to bolt, which meant she wouldn't get paid. "Do you want 'em or not?"_

_At any other point in his life, Nick would have denied her just on principle. But, his eyes ached, his muscles were weak and, the most galling of all, considering how much he prided himself on his intellect, his wit felt slow. Having a brain that felt like it was only at half capacity left him feeling afraid and vulnerable in a way even being naked in public couldn't match. He knew only sleep would bring him back to where he needed to be._

_He caved with a sigh, pulling out the remaining cash he had gotten from Judy. He held it out without counting it, already knowing exactly how much was left. "How many will forty-seven dollars get me?"_

" _After paying my fee for patching you up? One."_

So now he sat on the stairs, staring at the fat blue pill in his palm. Even though he had bought it, he was reluctant to take it. He knew it was silly, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was bad. That somehow it was akin to the terrible drugs he had promised his mother on her deathbed that he would never stoop to using, in spite of his less than legal lifestyle. Whenever he thought of taking it, he couldn't help but think his mother might be ashamed.

"What I would give for hot water," Judy's voice rang out, jerking Nick from his contemplation. The pill disappeared back into his pocket as he glanced up to see the bunny wearing the pink shirt she had gifted him at the precinct. What started out as a brief scan turned into a more detailed look. The shirt was almost too large for her shoulders and slim torso, with the neckline sinking so low as to be _almost_ indecent. Then, unbelievably, the fabric gripped her wide hips, giving what would have been a tantalizing glance at her pear-shaped figure, _if_ he hadn't already seen her in her tight police uniform. Then the bright cloth fell to her ankles, leaving only her large feet to be seen. It was strange how the shirt highlighted how differently shaped she was from any vixen he had ever seen wearing one of his shirts before (not that he had seen many).

Mistaking his stare for one of annoyance, she glanced down at the shirt, tugging the collar up so it didn't hang so low. "Sorry, but it's the only dry thing I could find. My clothes are still wet."

Snapping up from his inspection, Nick tried to wave her off. "Hm? Oh no, it's fine. My fault, really, I should have gotten you more to wear while we were out. We'll get you something tomorrow."

"Can we afford to? Even if food is covered, we still need to be able to pay for gas for the car and whatever else we might need."

"Don't worry about cash, Fluff. I've got everything covered," he said flippantly.

Judy tilted her head at him curiously, ears perked in interest. "How so?"

Nick's smile was infuriatingly smug. "It's a surprise."

She opened her mouth to scold him, but, remembering their earlier conversation about surprises, she gave it up as a lost cause. Closing her mouth, she rolled her eyes and made for the filing cabinet.

The fox turned out the light and followed her into his little nest. He was a little hopeful, thinking that maybe, if the bunny got in first, that she wouldn't use him like a stuffed animal.

He found Judy laying right next to the back of the drawer, face to the panel. As he settled in, he lay on his side near the front of the drawer, face to the panel, putting as much space between them as possible. It wasn't much, only about half an arm's length, but it was better than yesterday.

Minutes passed without movement or speech, the only sound to be heard being their soft breathing. So tired it _hurt,_ Nick was trying to distract himself from how _not_ asleep he was by thinking about the cocktails he would serve at his cantina. He had decided on naming one a _Rabbit's Tail_. He was mulling over whether to use tequila or rum when a soft voice distracted him from his thoughts. "Nick?"

She had been so quiet and still, he could've sworn she was asleep. He hoped she had an easy question. "Hmmm?"

"Do we have to wait for the I.D.s?"

How _dare_ he try to hope! "Do you know why I dressed Finnick up as my son?"

Judy took a long time, trying to work out the answer beyond the obvious. However, it seemed like the obvious answer was the only one. "For sympathy?"

"That's exactly right. No one wants to bother a father out with his son. Cops, especially. When those same cops see a rabbit and a scrawny wolf out and about together, when a canid and a rabbit are known fugitives, what do you think they'll do?"

It took another long while, not because the answer was hard to work out for a mammal who'd been a cop only the day before, but because Judy wished it weren't true. "They'll check our I.D.s."

"That's right. Tell me what'll happen when you don't have one."

There was only a brief pause this time. "...they'll detain us."

The hurt in her voice stopped Nick from taking it any further, knowing it would only drive in a point that had gone deep enough.

There was another long silence after that, during which Nick abandoned any pretense of trying to sleep to focus solely on Judy. Her breathing, far from evening out, was growing more ragged, interrupted by deep breaths as she tried to get it back under control. As telling as that was, his sensitive nose picked up a far more damning detail: the slight, sharp mineral tang of tears.

A sniffle heralded the next difficult question. "Nick, I- I know it's dumb, but… Can we- is there any way to let my parents know I'm alright?"

It was his turn to take a long time to answer. This was going to hurt. "Hopps, you need to pretend they don't exist."

He heard the rustle of cloth and felt the sheets move, but felt her pained gaze on the back of his head most of all. "Nick, please-"

So, this is what it feels like to be an utter bastard. He _thought_ he already knew, but he'd been terribly, terribly wrong. "Electronics can be hacked and mail can be traced. They're already watching for you to do precisely what you're thinking of and you _know it_. If you give them a clue, they will track us, they will find us, and it will be _your_ fault."

There was a stunned silence from behind him. But he knew that wasn't enough, because he needed to destroy this idea before it could take root and destroy them both. Even so, he wished he had the courage to look her in the eye as he grabbed the knife and twisted. "Any contact with your family will only hurt them. If they don't report it, even a _postcard,_ they can be charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive, and if they _do_ report it, they'll be responsible for turning in their daughter. How do you think they'll feel _then?_ "

Nick knew, intellectually, that he was doing the right thing. He understood that this was _necessary_ to keep him safe, to keep Judy safe, to keep her family safe. But that didn't stop the self-loathing that bubbled up inside as he listened to her sob and cry. He knew he would never forgive himself, not if he left her as she was. But there would be consequences if he comforted her. He groaned in dismay as he closed his eyes, focusing inward as he fought an internal battle.

_You need to help her._

**I am helping her! These are the facts, and the sooner she gets that, the better off she'll be.**

_That doesn't mean she has to suffer._

**Yes, it does. It's what she gets for being softhearted.**

_Only because you don't want to touch her._

**Of course not. I'm already attracted to her. Anymore cuddly, mushy crap and everything is going to get complicated,** **fast.**

_Coward._

**...it's easier this way. Safer.**

_That doesn't make it right. For once, try not to be the worthless fox everyone thinks you are. Be the fox that's worthy of her sacrifice._

**It's going to be hard. You know how foxes are. One and done.**

_She's worth it._

Nick let out a breath, his eyes sliding open once again. He rose up on his elbow and turned to look at what he'd done. Seeing the usually indomitable doe curled up on her side, body wracking with sobs, made him feel like the lowest scum in all the world. Shifting across the sheets, he knelt over her.

Judy jerked when she felt the first gentle touch on her back. Raising her head from her paws, she opened her mouth to tell him off. The words died in her throat when she saw him so near, the dark and her tears transforming him into a huge shadow looming over her. The silence that followed was interrupted only by her tiny hiccups.

He leaned down. He placed his paws on either side of her, trapping her between his arms. Then he pressed his forehead to her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

When stunned silence was his only reply, he continued, his voice soft and sorrowful, "I'm such an _idiot._ You're hurting. I hurt you. You've done so much for me, and I pay you back by making you cry. I'm sorry."

Judy wasn't sure what to do. She'd never had anyone but family comfort her like this before, and not since she was a kitten. Gradually moving past the surreal feeling, she shifted onto her back, hesitantly reached up and wrapped her arms around Nick's head. Slowly, she pressed her face into the fur between his ears. His arms shifted around her, gently cupping her head in one big paw and wrapping her shoulders with the other, pressing her just a little closer.

They stayed like that for a long time, allowing the closeness and warmth to soothe them. Eventually, Judy shifted her face so she wouldn't be talking directly into his fur. "I forgive you."

Nick knew then that he was in worse trouble than he realized.

* * *

Author's note: DrummerMax64, Whit, BioPhoenix4810, Erinnyes, Chesterization and MilesUpshur47 all helped make this possible, each in their own way. I'm glad to have them as friends and collaborators.


	24. Momentum Lost, Momentum Gained

Nick sat with his back to the side of the drawer, his head lolled back over the edge. He stared at the ceiling without really seeing anything, the beginnings of bags starting to show under his eyes.

It was the early hours of the morning. At least, he thought it was. It was hard to tell since light didn't get down into the basement office very well. He really ought to invest in a clock. Unless staring at a clock for hours drove him crazy. Maybe he oughtn't invest in a clock. Is "oughtn't" a word?

His rambling thoughts came to a halt when something shifted under his paws. Nick rolled his head around so he could look down. Judy's upper half was draped over his lap, with her legs curled up on the crumpled sheets. She laid face down, her cheek on his thigh and her arms draped around her head, her paws lying near his hip. His right paw rested on her head and his left rested on the small of her back.

It hadn't started out this way. When she fell asleep earlier, he had moved to make himself a little more comfortable. At first she had just rolled over and kind of pressed into his legs. Then once every little while she would shift closer, until over the period of a few hours she had ended up like this. Apparently she was a very active sleeper. He wondered if it was a rabbit thing or a Judy thing to move so much.

Speaking of moving, his pink shirt that she had borrowed had done some traveling of its own. The hem had risen in the night until it almost threatened to pop up over her stubby tail, putting all of her gloriously sculpted legs on display, the lines softened by her newly dark fur. When the thought to run his fingers over her thigh popped into his mind, he shook his head and looked away, moving his tail so it would cover the more tantalizing bits. No need to tempt himself further; this was all difficult enough without adding a molestation to the mix.

The feeling of his fur on hers disturbed Judy, and she shifted and groaned. Nick raised his paw and began to stroke her ears down her back. The doe quickly drifted back into a deeper sleep. Once she was settled, his paw settled on the small of her back again, ready to repeat the process.

Seeing her still and quiet again, Nick let his head roll back to where it was before, eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling.

_That's, what, the seventh time? Eighth?_

* * *

She woke a couple hours later, blinking groggily while her brain processed where exactly she had woken up. Then she jumped off him like a scalded cat, which he thought was kind of funny. She rushed to the bathroom while he chuckled.

When she emerged, wearing her body glove of a uniform without any of the accessories, Nick had to wonder how she could possibly think it was more modest than his oversized shirt. Not that he was complaining. She looked good enough to eat.

"Stop staring," she said as she walked past where he still sat in the drawer.

"I don't think I can."

She stopped before the pile of her gear and sat with a huff. "You didn't see enough of me last night?" she accused.

Nick's slight smile grew a little wider. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, but even I am not skilled enough to drag you into my lap without you noticing. _You_ did that."

She stopped wrapping her heels with her reinforced tape to turn and point at him, a denial on the tip of her tongue. Seeing him stare at her in amusement, waiting for her reaction, her mouth closed with a click. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Turning back to her wraps, she finished up and stood. "I'm going for a run."

"Don't go outside," he reminded.

"I know!" she called back as she jogged up the stairs.

Once he was alone, Nick let his smile drop. He leaned forward with a groan of discomfort and stood with the help of both paws on the edge of the drawer. A cacophony of pops and cracks ran up his knees, hips and lower back. He just stood there for a while, a grimace on his face as maybe the worst case of pins and needles he had ever encountered ran through his legs. Once the worst of it passed, he climbed out of the drawer and walked to the bathroom on wobbly legs. "Ungrateful rabbit," he grumbled.

* * *

After a few laps around the inside of the warehouse, Judy felt more like herself. She had discovered in the academy just how much of a stress relief a good run could provide, as long as you didn't have an enormous polar bear drill sergeant nipping at your tail.

After her head cleared, she realized it might have been unfair of her to accuse Nick of anything inappropriate. He had comforted her after she had broken down, even apologized for his actions. It was more than she deserved. After all, with some time to reflect she knew he was completely right. Contacting her family was a huge risk, one with almost no reward. She had tried to push for it anyway and he was right to push back.

So, that just left how she woke up in his lap. Was he telling the truth? Had she really _crawled over him?_ Ugh, how embarrassing! Freaking cuddly rabbit genes! How was she supposed to look him in the eye when she had done something so ridiculous?

Mind having wandered away, she had forgotten to monitor her body. She was surprised to find herself nearly sprinting. She skid to a stop and doubled over, paws on her knees as she gasped. Rabbits didn't sweat, but she could feel the heat radiating off her body, her core feeling strained and overheated. With a huff and a roll of her eyes, she stood and began a cool down lap, jogging at a much more reasonable pace. So much for running away from her problems.

* * *

Breakfast was only slightly awkward, with fox and rabbit both sitting on the stairs again. In spite of the silence, Nick took it as a good sign. After all, Judy had still chosen to sit with him, rather than take her food to the break room or the desk.

Judy, meanwhile, was trying to find something to say. She kind of wanted to apologize, but she didn't know if it would be better to say nothing and just pretend it didn't happen. Caught between these two thoughts, she couldn't find the words.

Once he was finished with his food, Nick decided that maybe talking business was the best thing. "I'll go into town soon, pick up some supplies. I was thinking maybe one of those portable DVD players. Any movies you like?"

Judy gave him an odd look. "Well, yeah. But why can't I go with you?"

Nick gave a little sigh. "Come on, Carrots. You know why."

"What, my ID? I can't go out _at all?_ Not even to a store?" She didn't mean to whine so childishly, but the thought of staying cooped up in the warehouse for two weeks sounded maddening.

"Every time you go out is a risk. Without an ID, that risk is just too high. I am going out and you're staying here. That's final." He tried to glare at her to get his point across, but Judy just glared back.

"What about _your_ ID, huh? Why don't you need one?"

"I have one," Nick said, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the grey wallet Judy had found in the glovebox. Opening it, he held it up for her to see. Seeing an ID, she snatched the wallet from his paw to take a closer look. The bunny cop found a picture of Nick in his wolf disguise, yellow eyes, short ears and wider muzzle included.

"Samuel O. Lawless?" she read the name on the card before taking it from the sleeve and examining it. Flawless in every aspect, she couldn't find a single detail out of place, even though she had been trained to spot fake IDs.

"That's right," Nick said, slightly annoyed by her grab happy ways. Reaching up, he plucked the card from her paw, then grabbed his wallet. "Even though he's crazy, Spaz does great work. Just gotta watch what you say."

Tucking the card into the wallet, he stood up, only to sway as the room swam around him. He closed his eyes, waiting for the spell to pass.

"Are you even good to drive?" Judy asked, tone somewhere between annoyed and concerned.

Of course the rabbit would notice. Nick would have rolled his eyes if he didn't think it would topple him over. "Yeah. Just need to get some coffee."

Once he felt he could walk without risk of faceplanting, he opened his eyes and turned to face her. "Last chance. Do you want anything?"

Judy crossed her arms and looked away, huffing in annoyance. "I like action movies. Anything with a female lead that isn't a pushover. And some fresh vegetables would be nice."

"Got it: Movies about butt-kicking produce," Nick nodded, looking completely serious. When Judy didn't react, stubbornly glaring at the wall, he gave cheering her up as a lost cause and headed up the stairs.

* * *

Nick came back with a crate of goods from the nearest farmer's market (there were actually quite a few in the Meadowlands) under one arm, and a cardboard box full of DVDs, USB flash drives loaded with pirated films, and an old, cheap laptop for playing them under the other. Several plastic bags containing several changes of clothes for both of them hung from his elbows.

Hearing his grunts of exertion coming down the stairs, Judy moved to meet him. Taking the crate of produce, she lead him to the center of the office. There they put everything down and started to sort it. Looking into the crate, she was surprised by the variety she found. There were carrots, of course, but only two bundles. The rest was filled in with fresh celery, beets, green beans, broccoli, tomatoes, a fair-sized jicama and some brightly colored bell peppers. It wasn't just vegetables either. She found a package each of organic strawberries and blackberries, a few peaches and apples, and a large container of blueberries. Curiously, she also found a bag of old-fashioned lemon drop candies.

Moving on, she opened the cardboard box and started to dig through it. She found a few examples of what she asked for, including some old classics like the _Jaguar Croft_ movies, but she also found several older comedies like _Wet Hot Zootopian Summer_ and _When Hairy Met Lassy_. She assumed they were for Nick.

When she found the laptop, her eyebrows and ears shot up in interest. She looked at it curiously, wondering if the beat-up computer worked. But then she had a thought. Looking from the laptop in her paws, to the nearly overflowing crate of food, to the several bags of clothes, she had to wonder: _How did Nick buy all this?_

"...hey, Slick!"

Nick, who had unceremoniously collapsed after carrying everything in, lifted his head from the aging linoleum. His eyes weren't quite focused. "Wha's up?" he slurred.

She lifted the laptop in one paw, then waved at the rest of the stuff with the other. "How can we afford this? There's more than three hundred dollars worth of stuff here, and I _know_ we already used up a lot of the cash I had."

It took a second for Nick's eyes to focus and his intellect to sharpen. Once he managed to process everything, he just smirked and dropped his head back to the floor. "Three hundred dollars if _you_ were shopping, Fluff," he said to the ceiling. " _This_ fox, however," he raised a paw to tap himself on the chest, "knows where all the good deals are. That haul didn't cost a dime over fifty." Even from where he lay on the floor, to Judy he seemed very proud of himself.

Eyeing the fresh produce in the crate, Judy tallied up how much it would cost for her to get the same in her hometown. Even if he paid what the farmer's charged (and she knew the farmer's market had to charge extra to cover overhead like rent and shipping), that would still leave very little for the DVDs and clothes, not to mention the laptop. She turned back to Nick, a cross tilt to her lips. "I'm not buying it. You didn't steal this stuff, did you?"

Nick sprang up into a sitting position, looking a little cross himself. He jabbed a clawed finger at Judy. "Hey! I have _never_ had in my possession _anything_ that _anyone_ could prove wasn't mine." He pulled his finger back and jabbed it at her again with every stressed word, adding to his emphasis.

Judy shifted uncomfortably, but the cop in her wouldn't be denied. She had to know. "Well, how much money did you leave Mrs. Sabo?"

Nick's angry snarl melted into one of total exhaustion, four nights without sleep having sapped his energy and enthusiasm. He dropped his paw in his lap and slumped, staring listlessly at the floor between his knees. His ears drooped and his tail laid lifelessly across the floor. "I'm not going to argue. You want the truth? I already used up the cash you gave me. I have money stashed away here in the warehouse. That's how I bought all the stuff." Far from sounding guilty or petulant, he just sounded tired.

Judy watched him carefully, concern overcoming outrage when she saw just how worn down he looked. Deciding that giving him a hard time wasn't going to do anything but cause problems, she decided to let him off the hook, for now. "You're going to show me where that money is later," she said firmly.

When Nick didn't move, either to agree with or deny her demand, she turned away and grabbed the crate of produce. She lugged it to the break room and the old refrigerator therein. She had discovered earlier that the old appliance still worked, if barely. It didn't have anything resembling humidity control, but it would do.

* * *

Precinct One, Conference Room Three.

The joint task force was once again sitting around the table, though this time Director Vault was absent, the arctic vixen trusting Jack to deal with things while she handled the ZBI side of things.

Bogo headed the meeting, but not because he had to; he already knew everything the ZPD knew, thank you very much, but because he knew he had to treat the forces involved with respect, lest they get stirred up against him in his absence. Pointedly _not_ eyeing Ruby, he started things off.

"It's been twenty-four hours since this task force was created. What have we learned?"

Higgins, being the most senior undercover officer, replied. "We haven't learned anything about where Target Grey or Target Red might be, but we have learned a lot about where they are not. No one has seen them in the known criminal hideouts or homeless shelters, either individually or together."

Bogo grunted in acknowledgment before looking to Wolford and Snarlof, the other two undercover officers enlisted in this endeavor. "Do you have anything to add?"

They respectfully shook their heads, with Snarlof adding, "It's just like he said, Chief. No sightings or credible tips."

"Yeah. Just a lot of 'Nope, haven't seen 'em," Wolford agreed with his fellow officers.

"Grizzoli?" Bogo set his sights on the officer sitting farthest away. The polar bear grimly shook his head. "Sorry, Chief Bogo," he said respectfully, knowing he was still on thin ice with his boss, and would be for some time. "Mr. Big is all about respect, and the ZPD showing up on his doorstep with favors to ask isn't exactly winning us favors. _However,_ " he stressed before anyone could interrupt, "that doesn't mean he won't help. We just have to wait for his schedule to open up."

"How long will that take?" Bogo cut in before Ruby could, heading off the she-wolf before she could cause trouble.

Grizzoli looked uncomfortable, knowing his answer wouldn't be a popular one. "Three days."

" _Three days?!_ " Ruby shouted before Jack or Bogo or silence her. " _What the fu-!"_

" _Agent Roughpaw._ " Bogo's voice rolled over hers like thunder in a storm. The she-wolf's snout snapped shut and she glared at the imposing bison. Knowing he had her undivided attention, he said, "You are a part of this task force as a participant, not an _authority,_ " he stressed the last word, deliberately using it to remind her of the first time they met. He watched with grim satisfaction as she looked away, most of the verve going out of her. "Please direct any complaints about my officers' work to me," he added, just to be thorough, then looked back to Grizzoli. "Why so long?"

The polar bear shrugged helplessly. "It's a way of humbling us. He's letting the ZPD know that meeting us has no more importance to him than any other meeting he might have, and he's a busy shrew."

Bogo hummed deeply, a sound that would have been a growl if it had been made by a predator. "Have you explained the time-sensitive nature of our request?"

"I did, and I think it made it worse. By letting him know we might not have a lot of time, he's decided that's exactly what he wants from us. Our most precious resource: Time."

"And the favor the ZPD might owe him?" Bogo shot back, getting fed up with hearing about this failure.

The polar bear shifted uneasily, sensing his boss' rising temper. "I think the biggest favor we could give is making him the crime boss the ZPD waited on. Even if he can't do anything for us, we'll already have given him that."

This time, Bogo really did growl, a sound that had most mammals leaning away from him. Fangmeyer was the only one seemingly unaffected. Since Grizzoli wasn't exactly at fault, the Chief of Police knew what he had to do. "Go back and make our position clear. The sooner the better. And while you're waiting, feel out his underlings, see if you can't get some of them to tell you what they know." Seeing his officer quickly nod and mutter his understanding, the burly bison turned to the only officer that hadn't yet spoken. "Fangmeyer?"

The tiger calmly responded, having patiently waited for his boss to call on him, "I've coordinated with the Zootopian Travel Authority. No ships, passenger or otherwise, have reported any mammal matching their descriptions. The trains were harder to tack down, but we found no record of any rabbit-"

"Mmhm!" Bogo grunted, interrupting the tiger's report.

Fangmeyer continued, mindful of Bogo's 'No mention of any description, including species' rule. "-any appropriate mammal that had not purchased their ticket in advance of the… event." Since he wasn't sure exactly how paranoid Bogo wanted to be, Fangmeyer decided complete discretion was advised. "Buses and taxis report the same. Nothing suspicious in the last twenty-four hours."

"Thank you, officers." Bogo then turned to the other side of the table, which was now occupied by a rabbit, she-wolf and squirrel. "Does the ZBI have anything to add?" he asked Jack directly.

"About the same as you, unfortunately," the buck admitted candidly. "We know a lot about where they aren't, with no certain leads as to where they _are_. We've been watching _carefully,_ so we know they haven't contacted known associates or family, yet. We'll keep an eagle eye, just in case. We've also watched known smugglers and traffickers, but no activity. All we know for sure is that they are still in Zootopia, or at least the archipelago."

Bogo nodded, appreciative of the buck's candor. Then the buffalo turned to his least favorite animal in the room. "Agent Roughpaw."

The she-wolf didn't exactly look thrilled with him, either. "We're analyzing the data presented to us. But Zootopia is hundreds of square miles with millions of animals occupying tens of thousands of buildings. It'll be decades sifting the data. We need to narrow down the possibilities," she spoke curtly, without actually looking anyone in the eye, instead keeping her gaze on the table.

When the table fell to quiet, Agent Lanskovitch, the slim, fit squirrel, spoke up just to be thorough. "R-SEC is primed and ready to go, whenever and wherever we're needed."

Bogo nodded politely, then glanced around at the mammals gathered. "Thank you Agent. I think everyone here knows what they need to. Let's break for now, and reconvene tomorrow."

* * *

Later, Ruby walked into the cheap hotel room that had become their de facto headquarters for the duration of the mission. Surprisingly, instead of finding Gmork pacing restlessly (she knew he would do that, regardless of his grievous leg wound. She had never met a mammal with so much disregard for pain) or exercising, she found him sitting at the little table, calmly going through a file.

She paused to glance over his shoulder at what he was working on. She found some kind of police report. "Where did you get this?"

"Al got it from the ZPD."

Ruby snorted. "Stole it, I bet. You told that crazy racoon we have a _legal_ right to these files, right?"

When Gmork didn't respond, she rolled her eyes and turned to the bed. However, instead of laying down for a quick nap as she intended, curiosity had her sitting in the chair across from him. She glanced at what he was doing. There were several pages of data, but on top there were several more pictures. The great wolf picked up a photo in one paw and brought it nearly to his nose. His eyes were intense as they drank in every detail.

Seeing how intently he looked at the photo, she couldn't help but wonder what it was he was looking at. Knowing that he would have told her to leave if he didn't want her to see, she reached forward and snagged one of the photos. In it was an attractive lioness, one she had never seen before.

"Her name was Ariel Barkimba," Gmork said without preamble, or even lowering his photo.

Ruby glanced at the black-furred male, then back to the photo. She memorized the face, because she knew it somehow mattered, or Gmork wouldn't bother with it. "Why is she important?"

Gmork dropped the photo, revealing it to be of a gruesome wound with lots of torn flesh. When his bright yellow eyes landed on Ruby, she couldn't help the little shiver that went through her. "She was found murdered the morning after our last encounter with the Red Thread Eidolon."

"She calls herself Ms. Hertz, apparently," Ruby interjected.

"Whatever that monster calls herself, I think she killed this other lioness."

Dropping her own photo, she looked at Gmork with utmost concentration. "Why?"

"When her body was found, she was missing her _right arm._ "

Ruby gasped. "You think she used her to regenerate?!"

"That's right."

"Damn," Ruby cursed, covering her mouth with one paw and glancing to the side, her brain already working through the possibilities. "We thought she could just heal quickly, but she's actually stealing body parts. Freaking monster…" she mumbled through her fingers.

But Gmork wasn't done yet. "There's more." He instantly had Ruby's undivided attention. "Mrs. Barkimba here was a creature of habit. She was known to go jogging in Savannah Central City Park every morning from five to five thirty."

Ruby's eyes widened. "You think that's where Hertz found her. That gives us a time and the location of the body gives us a place. You think you can track her."

"That's right. And with her recent dip in the river plus the scent of blood, she'll be easy to track for a long way."

Ruby stared at the table pensively for a moment before a thought occurred to her. She looked at Gmork confusedly. "Wait, why hasn't the ZPD done this?"

"They were in the middle of it when we failed to retrieve the New Origin. They were called off to provide backup, then the case was attached to the larger investigation at the pier. Then it was bundled up and shelved along with all of the related data when you swooped in with your executive order," Gmork explained. With that out of the way he stood and walked to the bed.

Ruby watched worriedly as he first checked his sidearm (the one retrieved by his racoon subordinate 'Al' from ZPD evidence lockup) before reholstering it. When he grabbed his jacket off the bed, her fears were confirmed. She stood from her chair, stepping towards him worriedly. "Wait, you're leaving _now?_ "

"Of course I am," he said as though it was obvious. He began to pull the jacket, a simple blue windbreaker, over his arms.

"But- But, John, your leg is still healing! You're not ready to fight an Eidolon like that monster. She'll kill you!" Ruby fretted, her brown eyes round with fright and ears flat to her skull. Her tail was even curled around her legs.

Gmork looked resigned. "I have to go. Aphos is going to get impatient. You know what he'll do."

Seeing her shudder in fear just at the mention of one of Aphos' punishments, Gmork's expression softened, just a little. "Bringing in the Red Thread Eidolon will give us time to capture the New Origin. Time you know we need."

Swallowing down the taste of bile, Ruby shakily nodded her head. "Alright. You're right. How- how can I help?"

Zipping up the jacket, the experienced operator made sure his holster wasn't visible. Damn soft-hearted Zootopians _flipped_ whenever they saw a hint of a real firearm. "Be ready. This one's slippery. If she tries to escape, I'll need you to use that satellite of yours to guide me. I'll call you when I'm close." That said, he turned to leave.

Ruby's voice made him pause. "Be careful, John. Please."

He turned back to face her. Seeing her look so frightened, he went to say something. But, he caught himself. Mouth shutting with a click, he turned and slipped out the door.

* * *

Author's Note: To my awesome friends DrummerMax64, Whit, BioPhoenix4810, Erinnyes, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47, and now Leroidatboi and Starfang's Secrets, thanks for being there with me, letting me share my story with you and sharing yours in return.


	25. A Storm, A Fright, A Glimpse

Dinner was done, the laptop was charged, and it was time to pick a movie. As they settled into the drawer nest, Judy found that Nick had grabbed one of the memory sticks, rather than any of the DVDs.

"I asked this weasel bootlegger I know for some action movies. He said this had the latest and greatest," he explained as he popped the little drive into the port. It took nearly thirty seconds, but the computer did eventually display its contents. As they scrolled through the list of about thirty titles, Nick muttered crossly, "So much for latest. Some of these are ancient."

"I don't think 2009 qualifies as ancient, Slick," Judy rebuffed him. "How about this one?"

"'Panda'? Never heard of it." Nick said, then shrugged. "Why not? Can't be worse than the last Iron Mammal movie."

* * *

The two fell into an easy routine. Judy would wake up (always snuggled up to Nick, to her everlasting embarrassment), take a quick (Cold!) shower, go for a jog, then return to find Nick had made breakfast. They would eat together, and talk for awhile. The topics of their conversations ranged from the utterly banal, like music preferences (She liked pop, he liked jazz), all the way up to some of the most profound of their lives (an offhanded comment by Judy about how mammals should be judged ended up in a four hour debate over the merits of consequentialism versus deontology, a conversation that had them nearly at eachothers' throats more than once). Then they would part for awhile.

Judy would go to explore more of the warehouse and the various disassembled carnival attractions while Nick would attempt to rest in the drawer. They would reconvene for dinner and watch a few movies, usually switching back and forth from action to comedy, with the occasional drama or thriller thrown in for variety's sake. Judy would drift off and use Nick as her body pillow, something he would ferociously insist, in his playful, sarcastic way, was a great indignity. In actuality, his major concern was making sure to hide how much he enjoyed the closeness, warmth, and, most mortifying of all (and why he was so careful to hide it from her), her soothing scent. Then they would repeat the process.

Five days passed this way.

Judy was beginning to worry. Well, she wasn't beginning. She had spent the last one hundred twenty hours trying to distract herself from how stressed out of her mind she was, things like: how her family was doing, if the ZPD were closing in on them or if the ZBI was somehow tracking them with satellites all kept rattling around. Which were all insanely horrifying enough on their own, but now she was starting to worry about Nick too. His condition was only getting worse.

The fox hadn't slept all week and it was starting to show, his rakish armour crumbling. At first the symptoms were all sporadic and incredibly subtle. A small outburst here, a snappish reply there, and the occasional sullen silence. All things that could be ignored as par for the course in their stressful situation, and even those had lessened as Nick learned to keep a tighter lid on his more volatile emotions.

But now…

Judy, wearing some comfortable knee shorts and a tank top, watched from the door to the break room as Nick sat by the bucket of Smart Mammal brand emergency rations that they had been eating out of for the last week. The fox had one of the packets in his paw, slowly flipping it back and forth, his brow scrunched in concentration. The thing was, she knew there was nothing to see. The packages didn't have any writing besides the name of the meal. What was the fox looking for? Did he even know?

She decided to ask and hope that there was a rational explanation. "Hey, Slick. What'cha lookin' for?"

Nick startled, jerking his head up to look at her with wide-eyed surprise. He relaxed when he realized who it was. "Hoo, Carrots! What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?"

Judy knew he was trying to be funny, but she brushed it off in favor of repeating her question. "What are you doing?"

"Hm?" It took just a second too long to be normal for Nick to look down at the packet of dehydrated food in his paw, then another second too long to remember what he had been doing. "Oh, uh, I was looking for the ingredient list. But, these don't seem to have any…" He trailed off, beginning to once again slowly flip the packet over and over, as though he completely forgot what one side looked like in the time it took to study the other.

Judy could only watch this for a minute before she just had to do something. "It's printed on the bucket," she informed him softly.

He looked up at her, then turned to the large container. Leaning towards it, he followed the label around to the side. Sure enough, the dietary information for each meal was printed, including the ingredient lists. He turned to throw a rueful smile at Judy. "Thanks, Carrots. I should've seen it earlier."

When he turned his head to peruse the label, Judy continued to stare at him, worry making her ears wilt and brow wrinkle. "Nick, I think-"

Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by a low, resonant rumble. Fox and rabbit both perked up as they looked at each other. Judy asked, "Was that thunder?"

"Well, it wasn't me," Nick snarked as he stood and made for the door. Judy followed him up the stairs and the two paused when they got above ground. Even though it was early afternoon, the sky through the dirty windows was dark.

Judy stepped up next to Nick. "Looks like a storm," she noted. A flash of distant lightning and another rumble confirmed it.

"Yeah…" Nick agreed, his voice distant. Judy turned to look up at him. He was staring through the windows, his eyes a million miles away while he slowly rubbed his chest with a paw.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

The question snapped him back into the present. He looked down at her with a quirked brow and an easy smile. "I'm just peachy, Fluff. Thanks for asking. What's not peachy is power surges. C'mon, we need to go unplug everything and turn off the lights. I'd hate for the laptop to catch fire, and with how old the wiring is in this place I'd say it's pretty likely."

They did as Nick suggested. After, rather than sit around in the dark office, they walked up the stairs, sat on the top step and looked out through the door as the storm began to whip around the warehouse.

As the sound of the raindrops against the metal ceiling and walls echoed all around, an ache grew in Judy's chest as she was reminded of similar storms that had rolled through Bunnyburrow in her youth. Her smile was a little sad as she remembered the rush of bodies as everyone tried to get inside, a harvest or a game interrupted by a sudden (Not unexpected, though. They just didn't care to let weather forecasts slow them down.) shower.

She and some of her braver siblings would go out to play, trying to outdo each other by making the biggest splashes in the puddles and staring in awe at the more brilliant flashes of lightning and shrieking together as the thunder rolled over them. Then they would come inside and dry off and her mother would whip up a batch of vegetable broth to warm them up. They would sit by the heater by the dozen and entertain themselves by telling tall tales until they fell asleep, exhausted and happy and content.

She was anguished to realize that those days were well and truly over.

Sniffling, she rubbed at her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath, fighting back the tears. When she had them under control, she peered at Nick from the corner of her eye to see if he noticed.

The fox was leaning against the wall. Ears down and eyes shut, his face was screwed up in barely suppressed pain as he clutched his chest with a paw.

Long ears shooting up in alarm, Judy sprung to her feet and was by his side in a blink. "Nick, what's wrong?"

Nick rolled his head toward her, his eyes opening just enough to allow a sliver of green to be seen. He tried to smirk, but he couldn't hide the suffering written across his face. "It's nothing, Carrots." He tried to wave her off with his other paw, the one that wasn't fisted in his shirt. "Just- just some heartburnnnNN!" He trailed off into a high-pitched whine, his eyes rolling back into his head. He squirmed in place, his tail thrashing around his hip.

Judy leaned forward, placing one paw on his cheek and running the other over his ears. "Hey, shh, shh. It's alright." She gave him a once-over, trying to see if anything was wrong. Her eyes latched onto the paw clutching at his chest. She instantly guessed what might be paining him. Reaching for the hem of his shirt, she tried to raise it so she could look at the wound in his chest, only to be stymied when the fox wouldn't move his paw. Grabbing his wrist, she tried to pull it to the side, only to be stymied again when he brought up his other paw to hold the shirt down.

Rather than fight him, she tried to reason with him. Dropping the shirt, she raised both paws to his cheeks, her fingers nearly disappearing into the thick fur. "Nick, look at me." She drew his muzzle down until he was facing her, but his eyes were clenched shut. "Nick, please. Look at me," she insisted.

At first, it didn't seem like he heard her. But, eventually, his face relaxed enough to let his eyes slide open. Once violets and greens met, Judy shot him an earnest glance. "I have to look at it. C'mon." She dropped one paw to his wrist and tugged at it. This time, Nick let his arms fall to his side.

With his paws out of the way, Judy noticed that she could see light shining through the material of his shirt. With just a touch of panic, she grabbed his shirt and yanked it up.

She gasped at what she saw. The symbiote was shining, casting the dim stairwell in an otherworldly blue glow. She stared, frozen in place as her brain tried to formulate a response.

Nick's eyes rolled back into his head and he gasped, ripping Judy's gaze from the orb suspended in his chest, only to have her eyes shoot back to it as it brightened, becoming almost painful to look at. A faint hum begun to fill the air, barely detectable by her impressive hearing.

A flash of blue-white light, but not from the hole in Nick's chest.

**_KRAKOOM!!_ **

The shockwave nearly threw her off her feet, with only her grip on Nick's shirt saving her from a nasty tumble down the stairs. The force of the sound permeated her whole body, wiping away all thought and feeling. When she came back to herself, Judy found she was wrapped in Nick's arms, her face buried in the thick scruff of his neck, her paws clenched in his shirt. The fox had curled his whole body around her, his face pressed against the base of her ears. Even his tail was wrapped around her, the fur bushed out in fright.

The two slowly untwined, looking at each other with matching looks of shock, blinking the spots out of their eyes. "What was that!?" Judy asked loudly, trying to hear herself over the ringing in her ears.

Nick turned his head, cautiously peering out into the rest of the warehouse. "I think… I think it was lightning," he whispered in awe.

"What?!" Judy asked loudly, obviously still deafened.

Nick turned back to face her, only just then noticing the ringing in his ears. He opened his mouth to reply, only to shout in surprise and pain as his chest spasmed, feeling like the orb had tripled in size.

Another flash, brighter this time, if that were possible.

_**KRAKOOM!!** _

The second shockwave didn't affect them as profoundly as the first, but again they found themselves hiding their faces in each other's fur. This time they took less time recovering, both looking out into the warehouse with matching looks of disbelief.

Judy muttered to herself, loudly, "What are the chances…?"

When Nick gasped again, Judy automatically pressed her face back into his fur, her instincts screaming that it was going to happen again.

With her eyes covered, she wasn't blinded by the light.

_**KRAKOOM!!** _

Since she was expecting it, she was able to feel the the twinge in her ears and the punch in her chest as the shock wave passed through her.

The two jumped in fright as chunks of sheet metal scattered just outside of the door, steam rising off the heated metal as rain started to fall through some unseen breach.

Police trained instincts kicking in, Judy struggled from Nick's grip, then grabbed his wrist and dragged him down the stairs. The fox barely kept his feet under him, and he was grateful that he managed to get into the office without face planting on the steps.

Judy, having read nearly every public service announcement she could get her paws on, knew what you were supposed to do in case of a lightning storm: Stay away from metal, water, and tall objects, like trees and telephone poles, and get to the lowest elevation possible.

Well, they were underground, so they were as low as they were going to get. That just meant staying away from the walls (which had pipes and wiring) and furniture (which was mostly cheap sheet metal).

Just as Judy was pulling them into the break room, Nick stumbled and cried out, clutching at his chest with his other paw. "Gah!"

Reacting on sheer panicked instinct, Judy pulled him to the ground and threw herself over him, shielding him with her small body as best she knew how.

**KRKOOM!**

Passing through the concrete over their heads, the thunder clap was only slightly less devastating than when they were right by the door, but now they could feel the earth shaking below them and hear bulbs rattle in their sockets.

There was a moment of absolute silence as the two waited with baited breath, the only sound between them the ringing in their ears.

As Nick slowly got his bearings back, he was surprised to feel cloth over his nose and weight over his face. Opening his eyes, all he saw was Judy's shirt. She was covering his head with her body, legs curled up on the floor, face buried in his ears and paws grabbing painfully at the fur on his neck. He blinked cluelessly, not sure how to handle the proximity.

As the pain began to build again, Nick clenched his eyes shut. This time, he managed to keep enough presence of mind to try to warn her. "Judy, it's happen-"

**KRKOOM!**

Though his warning was interrupted, its meaning got across well enough. The fox felt the bunny quiver atop him just before lightning struck overhead. Without any sort of conscious thought, he brought up both paws to hold her, completely engulfing her back with his palms and fingers. He curled his body around her, hiding her under his thick, artificially whitened fur.

They stayed that way as dozens and dozens more strikes pounded dust out of the ceiling, cracked windows and showered the warehouse proper with sparks, eventually even blowing out the light bulbs hanging over their heads. As sparks and shattered glass fell around them, the two just curled around each other even harder, desperately taking and giving comfort in their time of terror.

* * *

Even though it felt like the world was ending, the storm did eventually pass. As it did, the lightning slowed, then stopped. The two stayed curled up on the floor, too shaken and sick with soured adrenaline to do anything but shake and tremble in each other's grip.

After nearly half an hour, Judy had gathered enough strength to raise her head. The only source of light was the late afternoon sun faintly shining down the stairs, but it was just enough light to see by. A cautious glance around had her feeling a little optimistic. At least nothing looked wrecked, except for the lights.

Just lifting her head felt difficult, so she laid it back on top of Nick's ears. She spent a few moments just making sure he was alive. She breathed in his scent, felt the warmth of his fur, appreciated how his shoulders moved as he breathed. She could not explain why, but just knowing he was there was an enormous relief. Just the thought of going through that ordeal without him made her want to cry. Actually, she still wanted to cry, but she didn't think she could spare the energy.

Knowing that it would probably be a bad idea to sleep on the floor (or for Nick to lay awake on the floor while she slept on top of him, which is what she knew would happen if they stayed like this), she slowly raised her head again. Shifting slightly, she ended up leaning over his snout with one paw on the floor, her head hovering just over his eyes. She brushed her paw over his brow, watching muscles twitch under her fingers. When his eyes remained stubbornly closed, she tucked a finger behind a thumb and flicked him. "Get up, Slick. It's over."

Nick grumbled and tried to turn away, only for his muzzle to bump into her supporting arm. His eyes cracked open to glance at the barrier to his escape, then up into her violet eyes. "I knew the storm was gone when this ball of misery in my chest finally settled down," he mumbled at her, "and what does that have to do with getting up? I'm beat, Carrots."

He really did sound tired, but Judy knew there were certain things that needed checking after a storm, apocalyptic lightning notwithstanding. A compromise, then. "If you really think you'll go to sleep, I'll leave you here and take care of things myself. Do you think you'll sleep?"

There was a long moment of silence while Nick pretended to feel it out. He dropped his eyes to the floor. "It's possible…"

She ran her paw over his forehead again to make him look at her, then raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him when he did.

He huffed, defeated. "Fine. I'm not going to sleep. No need to rub it in," he grumbled.

Nodding decisively, Judy pushed herself to her feet, Nick's tail sliding off her back. Though she moved with a great deal less energy than usual, it was still ten times as energetic as Nick, who managed to get his paws underneath him, but remained so badly slumped it could barely be called standing. Mindful of the broken glass, the two carefully picked their way out of the break room into the office.

Judy reached up and flipped the light switch, but nothing happened. She turned to Nick and nodded at the stairs. "I'm going to check outside and make sure nothing is on fire. Think you can get the power on?"

Nick slumped a little more at the thought of doing anything, but he did nod. "Mm."

Judy took a few steps forward, but stopped and turned back to Nick, who hadn't moved from his spot at all. "When I get back, we are going to rethink this waiting thing. I don't think we have that much time."

After the harrowing ordeal he'd just gone through, Nick couldn't help but agree. Still, no need to waste energy telling her that. He gave a barely perceptible nod.

That was good enough for Judy. With an agreeing nod, she turned and walked up the stairs.

* * *

"Wow."

Judy had exited the warehouse and followed the perimeter to about where the stairwell was. What she found looked like an artillery bombardment. The pavement was shattered in dozens of places, with bits of concrete ranging from pebbles to stones larger than her scattered about.

The metal wall of the hangar was hit just as hard, if not harder. The sheet metal was blackened and damaged so thoroughly that individual impacts were impossible to count, instead many dozens of them joined together to make three huge gashes in the sheet metal. When Judy tilted her head just right, she could swear they looked like giant claw marks. It was almost like…

"Something tried to get in," she whispered, caught somewhere between awe and terror.

* * *

Nick had eventually gotten around to fetching the key to the maintenance closet from where it was stashed in the oversized file cabinet. The moment he opened the door he was assailed with the stench of burnt rubber. Groaning in dismay, he stepped into the closet. On one side of the room, there was a set of shelves that were only occupied with a few boxes of light bulbs and some seriously out of date cleaning products. Leaned against the shelves was an old mop, a fraying grass broom, a wooden ladder, and the newest thing in the room, a three stepped, foldout stool sized for him.

On the other side of the room was the source of the obnoxious odor: the fuse box. Around the corner there were several new scorch marks, ones that Nick knew hadn't been there before.

Sighing in aggravation, he grabbed his step stool, folded it out, and placed it before the scorched out casing. He stepped up, grabbed the handle and pulled it open, only to lean back and cough as a black cloud of acrid smoke was released. The burning in his sensitive nostrils caused him to sneeze several times. Eyes watering, he waved his paw to clear the air before having a look at the damage.

"What a wreck," he muttered aloud. Plastic, rubber and metal alike were warped and scorched. He reached for the least damaged looking switch. "Maybe we can get one outlet working."

When his paw drew close, it was suddenly pulled against the box with a thud. Nick stared at stuck limb in alarm.

"What the- guh!" he grunted and gripped his chest with his other paw. When he once again felt the rising pain that he had just spent hours getting familiar with, his alarm turned to fear.

Looking back to his paw stuck to the panel, he tried to tug it away. When it remained firmly fixed, he tried to grab his wrist with his other paw, but it too was pulled to the box when it got too close.

Fear turning to panic, Nick shouted and yanked on his arms, but his paws wouldn't budge, stuck there as strongly as if held with iron shackles. Nick jumped up and put both his feet on the wall, pushing and straining against his invisible bonds with all his might, but to no avail.

As he felt the strumming, throbbing pain in his chest hit its crescendo, Nick looked at the fuse box with his ears pulled back, face set in frightened resignation. He couldn't help but lament, "Why do things keep hurting me?"

And then the box burst in a contained maelstrom of electricity, sizzling arcs of blue-white light running and snapping along his arms and torso to be absorbed by the orb in his chest.

* * *

Judy was standing only a few inches from one of the great tears in the outer wall, marveling at the damage, when the transformer mounted on the pole that attached the hangar to the electrical grid suddenly burst in a spectacular halo of sparks. The rabbit spun to face the somewhat distant explosion, ears erect and eyes wide with surprise.

" **Gaahh**!"

Head snapping around and ears focusing even more intently, Judy gasped when she realized what it was. "Nick!"

Leaping forward, she slipped through the hole in the wall and disappeared inside.

* * *

Author's Note: DrummerMax64, Whit, BioPhoenix4810, Erinnyes, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47, Leroidatboi and Starfang's Secrets: My editors, collaborators, coauthors, sounding boards and friendly conversationalists. Thanks for putting up with me!


	26. Growing Pains

_As rain started pounding the Rainforest District, not the fat, warm drops of the usual, artificial precipitation but the needling, freezing rain of an ocean storm hitting land, a lioness was crouched in a several stories tall artificial tree, hiding in the deep shadows cast by the plastic leaves. Below her, a tall, dark wolf in a blue windbreaker stood on a street corner, asking a terrified hyena some very pointed questions._

_There came a sound of distant thunder from the North._

_Ms. Hertz grimaced as the rain beat at her face, the stinging drops seeming to pierce right through her fur. Knowing that she couldn't move to a more protected position without risking drawing Gmork's eye, she set her jaw and resigned herself to a miserable stakeout._

_There came another distant rumbling Northward._

_As water began to seep down to her skin, her body tried to reflexively shake it off. The lioness forced herself to remain still, but the urge remained, like an itch that couldn't be scratched. Hertz allowed herself to glare down at her target, focusing her ire his way._

This dog-breathed puppet better lead me to whoever is pulling his strings, or he is going to die very slow, _she thought._

_Again, the sound of distant thunder from the North._

_One rounded ear swiveled towards the sound, moved by idle feline curiosity. When another rumbling came only a few seconds later, from the exact same direction no less, the other ear matched the first. When a third peal of thunder came exactly when expected, Ms. Hertz couldn't help turning her head, even though she kept her eyes on her target. When the thunder pealed a fourth and fifth time, in the same direction and at set intervals, the truth crystallized in her mind: Something else was near. Maybe even an Eidolon._

_By the time her perch rumbled a sixth time, it was empty._

_Down below, Gmork stepped away from another in a long line of dead ends. Grabbing his old flip phone, he flicked it open. Just before he could hit the first key, his ears twitched. He paused for nearly a minute, listening intently as his thumb hovered over the keypad. Finally, he pressed down the 1 key until the phone dialed. Raising his head, he faced the North as he brought the phone to his ear._

_The familiar voice came without delay. "_ I'm here, John. _"_

_"Ruby, something is happening North of my position. Find out what it is. Follow the lightning."_

* * *

Judy practically flew down the darkened stairs, heart racing, hoping against hope Nick was okay. When she reached the office, she skid to a halt as she was nearly blinded. When her eyes adjusted, she saw that the light was shining through the utility closet door. She didn't hesitate, racing towards it as fast as her legs would carry her.

She found a minor disaster zone. The fuse box was a ruined mess of smoking plastic and fused wires and the metal shelves were caved in. It took her eyes a second to adjust and figure out it was because a fox was embedded in them.

Judy was by Nick's side in less than a second. His shirt was blackened and charred, revealing the orb in his chest. The parasite was glowing an other-worldly green/blue that lit the entire space like some sort of biological reactor.

Ignoring the symbiote as something she could do nothing about, Judy tore the burned shirt open, expecting to see charred fur and blistered flesh. To her surprise, there were no electrical burns on his body. For that matter, the fox didn't even have a single strand of singed fur.

Training kicking in, Judy pressed a paw into Nick's ruff, pushing past his thick fur to press a finger to his pulse, only to find none. An instant of panic was crushed when she remembered why that might be. Shaking her head at her foolishness, she instead held one paw over his mouth and the other on his chest. It was fainter than she would have liked, but she did feel a breath move her fur and his chest raise her paw.

Which was when the supernatural(?) tod gasped and sprung to life, causing Judy to leap several feet back. The first thing she noticed as she took him in were his eyes. Eyes that were glowing the same blue/green as his chest.

Then he started to scream.

Throwing his head back, the fox wailed and writhed, clutching at his chest with both paws, gripping his fur so tightly that he threatened to pull it out.

Judy was by his side again in an instant, face pinched with panic. "Nick! Nick, what's wrong?!" When his only answer was more screaming, she tried to pry his paws away before he hurt himself. It was a struggle and she was only partway there when things abruptly changed, again. The screaming stopped, only to be replaced with short, sharp gasps. To Judy, who was trained in advanced first aid, it sounded like he had a collapsed lung. The fox thrashed, his entire body spasming so violently that Judy was knocked back before she knew what was happening.

Landing flat on her back, she barely caught herself before her head could bounce off the concrete floor. Rolling to her feet, she spun to run back to Nick's side.

Just as she was in arm's reach again, Nick seized completely, heels slammed to the floor, head thrown back against the shelf he was embedded in, and his long, slim torso sharply arched. His arms shot up and gripped the shelf above him, framing the orb in his chest. Even his gasps cut off as his lungs clenched, expelling all their air and allowing none to return.

Judy watched in horrified fascination as the tendrils that suspended the enigma in Nick's chest grew and thickened, pressing deeper into his body. The sound of flesh being violated branded itself into her brain, a scar that she would carry with her forever.

It went on and on, Nick's face and body contorted in agony, cyan light pouring out of his eyes and chest. The only other sound was the creaking of steel as the shelf slowly crumpled in his grip.

* * *

Even in the day, the Rainforest District was notoriously dim, the many trees and tree shaped structures and their associated leaves creating a dense canopy that let very little light reach the forest floor.

A shadow darted from tree to tree and structure to structure, so fast that most mammals would have questioned if they had seen anything at all amongst the gloom. However, the fact that this blur moved several stories in the air made it unlikely to be seen. Most animals just never looked up.

Ms. Hertz bunched her legs and exploded off a wall, rocketing the forty feet to the next ledge. With the grace of an acrobat, she tucked her legs in, performed a flawless somersault, then stuck her legs out to land silently on a ledge. Not wasting a bit of momentum, her landing turned easily into a speedy race along the edge of the roof. As she came to the end of the building and launched herself into the air, she shot a very brief, very appreciative look at the artificial canopy above her. Without it, what she was doing would have been way too risky, the spy satellites employed by the enemy constantly watching. But not in the Rainforest District.

Even the muggy, humid atmosphere worked to her advantage, helping to mask her body heat from the infrared scanners used by those satellites to see bodies and machinery through obstacles like weather and structures.

Now all she had to do was avoid the cameras, which was child's play this high up. Humming to herself, she considered settling down here, at least for a while. Even if it was a place of interest to the enemy now, without their precious technology she had nothing to fear.

Happy thoughts of life-and-death battles against highly trained agents were interrupted by a spasm in her side. The distraction came just as she was leaping off again, ruining her perfect form. Power and accuracy now lacking, she threatened to miss the next building entirely and go plummeting to the street some six stories below.

She instantly ran the pros and cons. She would easily survive the fall, but then she risked multiple witnesses to her travel. The enemy might be able to figure out where she was going, which was inconvenient, to say the very least. Time for other options, then.

Throwing out one arm, three razor sharp threads shot from between the pads of her palm. Whipping through the space between her and the next ledge, they easily lodged into the old mortar. Grabbing the threads in her paw, she gave a mighty tug that yanked her up and to the ledge.

Grabbing the brick in both paws, she easily threw herself onto the roof. Landing with feline grace, she took a few steps away from the ledge to minimize possible witnesses, then allowed herself to kneel with a gasp. Putting her paw to her right side just below her ribs, she felt her flesh bulge and spasm as though something were trying to get out.

"Alright, alright! I get it," she hissed down at her side. Then she raised her head to face towards the North and whatever it was that had upset her Origin so. She grinned darkly, feeling her heart thrill in anticipation. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

A few blocks away, a deliberately nondescript black SUV was speeding down the road, heading in roughly the same direction.

The great black wolf himself sat behind the wheel, steering with one paw while he held his simple flip cell up with the other. "Where is it, Ruby?"

" _It looks like the Meadowlands._ "

"More," he demanded, blowing through a red light. He didn't mind the camera, knowing Ruby would scrub the footage.

" _I know, I know, I'm trying! It was in a low priority area, no cameras or satellites,_ " Ruby replied, her voice anxious.

Gmork grunted, knowing that Ruby's work would suffer while she was worked up. "Calm down. Remember the training: start with what you know. Tell me what you already have."

" _Okay_ ," she said, before she gave two quick, calming breaths. " _A weather station reported some unusual lightning activity, but they only know a direction, no exact distance. The area of interest, adjusting for error, is about ten square miles._ "

"That's fine. You said there weren't any cameras, so there can't be that many buildings. Eliminate the occupied ones. If someone-"

" _Wait, hang on,_ " Ruby interrupted. Gmork settled back to listen, knowing Ruby wouldn't speak over him without a very good reason. " _A huge part of the grid just went down._ "

Gmork didn't believe in coincidence. "Tell me why."

There was a moment where all he could hear was the rapid clatter of a keyboard being masterfully handled. Then Ruby said, " _Something put a huge drain on the system. Very suddenly. The numbers involved mean the nearest transformer was probably blown to hell._ "

Gmork knew that that was where he wanted to be. "What's near there?"

" _Uh, let's see. Closest thing is… Redheath Municipal Airport. Which is weird, because it was shut down like, thirty years ago._ "

Gmork had his heading. "Guide me."

* * *

It was molten steel in his chest, searing hot and so heavy, oozing through his veins and under his skin, spreading out through his torso and creeping down his limbs like the roots of the most hellish tree imaginable. As he felt every part of his body burned and violated, Nick was convinced he was dead and that he had been cast into perdition, doomed by his sins to suffer for eternity.

But then it was over. The creeping fire cooled and faded away. As the symbiote settled, the light went out of his eyes and Nick collapsed back into the crater he'd made in the shelves, his arms falling limp at his sides. He gasped and gulped, desperately drawing in air.

As the light shining from the orb faded, the room grew dimmer until there was just enough light to see by. Judy, eyes still adjusting to the gloom after nearly being blinded, carefully sidled up next to the fox. Kneeling on the ruined shelf, she reached out a paw. "Nick? Are you alright?"

The instant her paw touched his shoulder, green eyes snapped open. To her astonishment, Nick leapt up with a shout, " **Gah!** " As soon as he was standing, he shook himself out, his fur standing on end wherever it stuck out of his clothes, his tail bushed and standing straight out behind him. Then he began to pace. While Judy watched with wide eyes, the fox sped back and forth from one end of the closet to the other, his entire body twitching and shaking like he was in the throes of the worst sugar rush ever. He shook his head again and again and gesticulated wildly with his arms, sometimes scrubbing at his face and ears and sometimes throwing them down to his sides to shake out his paws. His tail even spiraled behind him, something that looked wholly unnatural on the laid-back fox.

He began to rant, loudly, "What the _what_ was _that_?! I was just checking the fuse box and it explodes!? Why the _fox_ would it do that?! And then my alien chest baby wigs out and starts growing and I can feel it!" Nick, the most calm and collected animal Judy had ever met, actually stopped to stomp his foot for emphasis. Then he picked right back up with his frantic pacing. "Little monster spread out everywhere! I can feel it under my skin! I can STILL FEEL IT! AAGH!"

When the fox threw himself to the ground and began to thrash and claw at his fur as though he were covered in ants, Judy jumped up and ran to him. "Nick, calm down! You'll hurt yourself!" she shouted as she grabbed at his paws, trying to keep them away from the hole in his chest. Even ignoring what might happen if he touched the symbiote, his claws could do serious damage to his exposed lungs.

They struggled for a bit, Nick frantically clawing at his skin and Judy desperately trying to stop him. The bunny was having a hard time of it, with Nick being so much larger and, as far as their arms were concerned, stronger. It didn't take very long for the rabbit to get frustrated. Giving up on holding back his paws, she instead grabbed his cheeks, pulled him nose to nose, and shouted point blank, " _Nick, stop it!_ "

The fox froze, bewildered. He looked at her like he just realized she was there. Judy started to talk, mostly to give Nick something to focus on. "Nick, look at me. I need you to calm down now, okay?"

"Calm down? _Calm down?!_ " the fox echoed, his voice getting angry. He glared up at her and snarled, prompting Judy to jump off him and cautiously back up a step. "You want me to _calm down?!_ Do you have _any idea_ what I just went through?!" he shouted and sat up, teeth bared.

Judy held up her paws placatingly, trying to ignore the terror she felt before an agitated fox. "Nick, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"I don't care _what_ you meant!" he interrupted, swiping at the air in front of him as though to knock her words to the side. "You have any idea what it was like?! To have- have- have _tentacles_ pushing around under your skin!" he shouted at her, pushing himself forward until he was on his paws and knees, the height difference between them making that the perfect position to push into her personal space until they were nose to nose.

Judy was stunned to realize that tears were running freely from his eyes, wetting his furred cheeks even as he glared at her.

"I'll freak! Out! If I want too!" he shouted, slapping the concrete floor for emphasis. "Here, watch! This is me, freaking out! _**HAAAAA!**_ "

The scream was so loud, so sharp, so sudden, that Judy couldn't help flinching and stumbling back, closing her eyes and turning her head away, ears pressed to her back.

Nick, once his breath was used up, simply sucked in air until his lungs were full and then resumed screaming. " ** _HAAAAA!_** " He curled up, compressing his chest so he could give everything he had to expressing his torment.

Judy winced and shrunk back a little more as the noise battered at her sensitive hearing.

Once the dam on his emotions was breached, Nick found himself facing a torrent of feelings that he did not know how to deal with. So he pressed his forehead to the cold concrete floor, sucked in another breath, and screamed again.

" _ **HAAAAA!**_ "

Judy cracked open one eye, then the other, turning to watch with sad eyes as Nick broke down completely, his armor of confidence shattered. Openly sobbing, the fox laced his paws behind his neck and used the grip to curl up into an even tighter ball. His tail curled around him, his ability to hold back the childish gesture gone entirely.

" _ **H-HAAAAA!**_ "

Stepping forward, Judy kneeled before the fox as he shook and gasped and cried. After a little careful positioning, she was on her side, her whole body wrapped around him. It was awkward, with her basically hugging the top of his head, but it was all she could think to do.

As Nick screamed and cried, Judy wished with everything she had that she could do more.

* * *

Ms. Hertz huffed in annoyance as she was forced to the ground as the Rainforest District came to an end. Running through a mostly abandoned foot passage through the wall into the Meadowlands, she blew past a single bewildered beaver.

Fabia Castor clutched her purse to her chest as she watched the lioness sprint away and disappear. The elderly beaver shook her head and turned back to her destination, muttering to herself, "First that fox and now this. What is wrong with predators these days? Back in my day…"

* * *

As Gmork drove through the tunnel leaving the Rainforest District, he kept the gas pedal pressed to the floor. The wolf recklessly weaved through traffic, sometimes even swerving into the oncoming lane, leaving a trail of angrily honking drivers in his wake. As he exited into the bright sunlight of the Meadowlands, he raised his flip phone and asked, "Ruby, how much longer?"

" _With how you drive? Twenty minutes, max_."

* * *

A few minutes later, Nick abruptly sat up, leaving a surprised Judy half curled up on the floor. The bunny blinked in surprise, then scrambled to her feet to stand before where he kneeled, paws on his hips and straight backed. As he huffed and sniffed his way back to something resembling composed, she anxiously looked him over before looking up into his eyes. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

Nick sniffed hard before wiping his nose with the back of his paw, not caring in the least about the streak of snot he left in his fur. He answered her question, voice strained and scratchy from his screaming. "Like I could run twenty miles and sleep for a week. Maybe at the same time."

"Is- is that _all_? With what you just went through?" Judy fretted, worried that he was hiding something.

"That's all, Carrots," Nick assured. "Now, don't get me wrong, I still want to sleep so bad I'm ready to beat my head on a rock to make it happen, but, I don't hurt." Seeing that Judy didn't really understand, he elaborated, "Since this whole thing started, some part of me hurt. I was sore, or it hurt to breath or _something_. But now…" He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, the light pouring from his core brightening and dimming in sync. Judy's sensitive hearing didn't hear any strain or roughness in his lungs. "I feel good," he summed up, looking down at his body as though he could see the difference. His eyebrows went up as he realized his shirt was hanging in tatters from his shoulders, leaving his chest exposed. When did that happen?

"Thank goodness," Judy said, holding a paw to her chest as she slumped, some of the tension seeping out of her shoulders.

Nick glanced up, brow quirking at how relieved she looked. Sensing a chance at some distracting levity, he joked, "Aw, Carrots, were you worried about me?"

"Of course I was worried, you jerk!" Judy shot back with a glare, surprising Nick with her vehemence. "You were _screaming_ and it was like you were having a seizure and then you tensed up and- and-!" Her voice cracked and tears came to her eyes as her face twisted in anguish. "I could hear it hurting you and I couldn't do anything! I thought you were gonna die!" she wailed, her tears coming in earnest.

Nick hesitated for only a second as Judy broke down in front of him. Then he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, carefully drawing her up against the side of his chest. The rabbit buried her face in his fur and poured out all her fears and frustrations, not just from today but from everything that happened over the last two weeks. From the frustrations at work to the fears of the future, she let it all go while in a fox's embrace.

For his part, Nick did his best to comfort the distraught bunny. Holding her close with one arm, he gently, maybe even lovingly, stroked her ears down her back with the other. Putting his head down next to hers, he muttered, "Hey, it's alright. I'm fine, I'm not gonna die. Shh, don't worry, I won't leave you…"

* * *

Athletic lions could, in short bursts, run as fast as fifty miles an hour. While Ms. Hertz wasn't setting a speed record, if her run had been recorded, the lioness would have blown the top off of the "Longest Sprint by a Feline" several times over, having maintained her top speed of forty-eight miles per hour for over a dozen miles at this point.

She was also running in a straight line, paying no heed to anyone's property lines, simply leaping over any fence she came across, to the astonishment of more than one mammal who happened to be out in their yard checking on things after the storm.

She grinned to herself, feeling now that her target was near. If she could get her paws on another powerful Eidolon, she would have much less to fear from the enemy. She grinned at the thought of tearing down the organization that had chased her for so long.

She wondered about who it could be, but then realized that only one mammal had been there at the right time and in the right condition for a bond to form.

 _I'm going to get you, Mr. Wilde. Then you're going to help me,_ she thought with a grin, not even breathing hard from her long run, _whether you like it or not._

* * *

Unknown to either, Gmork was racing the feline to their shared goal. Because he was forced to use the roads, he was approaching the hangar from almost the opposite direction as Ms. Hertz, and even though he was driving recklessly fast he would get there at about the same time, again because of the roads.

Gmork grit his teeth as his vehicle fishtailed on the gravel road again, his expert handling of the wheel the only thing saving him from rolling into a ditch. As he corrected his course and punched the gas, he glared intently ahead.

"Ruby, do you have eyes on the target?" he barked into his phone.

"The satellite just came online. Orienting now."

"Keep me posted. I won't let it get away again!"

_I'm going to find the New Origin and give it to Aphos, and this will finally be over._

* * *

After they both calmed down, the unlikely duo had agreed that the fuse box was beyond repair. When Judy told of the damage to the wall upstairs, Nick insisted that they leave immediately, before a city inspector could come. With only a couple changes of clothes stuffed into a plastic sack and the laptop under one arm, they started up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" Judy asked.

"The seediest motel we can find," Nick answered glibly.

Judy wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Why? Because they're cheap?"

"No- well, yes, that too- but mostly because they don't use cameras. It's why they're still in business. Mammals that don't want to be seen stay there."

Judy sighed, resigned. "Well, we are mammals that don't want to be seen."

"I'm glad you realize that," Nick snarked, half serious. They were at the top of the stairs now, standing before the door that would take them out into the hangar. "Now come on, I'll show you where I stashed the cash. I know you've dying to-" As he spoke, he reached up and opened the door. The two huge, angry-looking mammals on the other side brought him up short.

The two sides stared at each other, one with naked hostility and the other with shock.

Of course, it didn't take Nick long to find his voice. Dropping the sack of clothes to the side, he threw on his best friendly smile and welcomed the visitors. "Raymond! And is that Kevin?"

Indeed, it was Mr. Big's polar bear enforcers, wearing their classic tracksuits and dark, threatening expressions. The one with blue stripes on his jacket, Raymond, spoke. "Wilde. Mr. Big will see you now."

* * *

Author's Note: Many thanks to my friends and collaborators: DrummerMax64, Whit, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47, and Leroidatboi, but especially Erinnyes, Starfang's Secrets and BioPhoenix4810.

When I needed help, Erinnyes came up out of a dead sleep in the middle of the night to help me out of the corner I painted myself into. He really went above and beyond as an editor and a friend.

Starfang's helpful suggestions really improved the chapter this week, helping me add a little more depth.

BioPhoenix4810 wrote the prompt that got this chapter started, a prompt that I gleefully twisted to my own design, but it's still there, if you squint your eyes. Here, I saved the original so you could compare:

* * *

Judy practically flew down the stairs, heart racing, hoping against hope Nick was okay. Bursting into the office like a bat out of hell, Judy was by Nick's side in less than a second. To her surprise there were no burns on his body. For that matter the fox didn't even have a single strand of singed fur. The fox _did_ have a noticeably glowing chest however, just as he had during the storm. Opening his shirt Judy saw that the parasite was glowing an other-worldly green/blue that lit the entire office up like some sort of biological reactor. Which is when the supernatural(?) tod gasped and sprung to life, causing Judy to leap several feet back. The first thing she noticed as she looked at Nick now, were his eyes. Eye's that were glowing the same blue/green as his chest. (that's all I had, hope you enjoy, find it helpful.)

* * *

Isn't he helpful?

 


	27. Hangup at the Hangar

Resting in the branches of a large tree, Ms. Hertz watched through leaves and a decrepit chain-link fence as a polar bear walked around a white limo. He had a dark-furred rabbit in his grip, with only her head and feet visible outside of the cage of his huge paw.

_Whoever the rabbit is, it's not what I'm looking for. Wait,_ _there!_

A second bear stepped from the hangar, and a white fox hung from his paw by his scruff. Even from over a hundred yards away, she could feel what he had inside. But, there was something wrong.

_I thought Wilde was a_ _red_ _fox._

But that wasn't the only detail out of place. There, before her very eyes, were three huge slashes _burned_ out of the several stories high, _metal_ wall. She could still smell the ozone. It was something only an Eidolon could do, and only one of the most powerful she had ever seen at that.

_Why is such an amazing Eidolon letting himself be_ _handled_ _like that? He should turn that polar bear into a steaming pile of meat! What is going on here?_

No, there were too many things wrong with this picture, and until she could figure it out, she wasn't going to intervene. She didn't get this far by acting carelessly, after all.

* * *

As Gmork sat in his black SUV at the end of the drive, the flip phone had started to creak in his grip.

" _John, I know what you're thinking_ ," came Ruby's voice over the mic, " _but those are_ _polar bears_ _. The largest land-based predators. You're injured and you have no backup. You could fight them, you could even win, but what are the chances the New Origin will escape?_ "

Gmork growled, low and threatening, his piercing yellow eyes never leaving the white limo as it bounced away down the gravel road. "What would you have me do?"

" _Those are Big's enforcers in Big's limo. We have a deal with him already. All you have to do is follow them, and they will happily give him to you,_ after _they meet their boss. It's how they operate._ "

"It's not how _we_ operate," he snarled back. "What's to keep them from looking? We could end up with a dozen more witnesses!"

" _It was the best I could do with the resources we had. I figured Aphos would go in and 'sterilize' them, anyway._ "

There was a long moment of painful silence where Gmork just glared, disbelieving, at the phone in his paw. "...you _know_ what that means."

Ruby was slow to respond, as though she were struggling with the words. " _...they're bad mammals. What does it matter?_ "

Something passed over Gmork's face. It was subtle, just a twitch of the brow and a minute curl of the lip. It could have been disgust. Or disappointment. "I guess it doesn't. Will they be able to handle it for a few minutes?"

" _A few hours, I'd say. Why?_ "

Having never shut off the car, or even put it in park, Gmork simply turned the wheel and started down the driveway to the hangar. "I'm going to ' _sterilize'_ the airport, make sure nothing important got left behind. Then, I'll pick up the New Origin."

* * *

Hertz watched from her perch in the tree as another vehicle approached. It only took her a second to recognize the bland, black SUV that Gmork had been driving the last few days. A smile grew across her face, eyes sparkling with interest as the Great Black Wolf himself stepped out of the vehicle and walked through the doors into what she assumed was a warehouse.

Now, her curiosity was piqued. What was this place? It wasn't a holding facility. It had no visible security (and it was almost impossible to slip something past her), and no signs of being a staging ground.

Perhaps it was a safe house. The idea sparked a tingle up her spine. Such facilities relied on being obscure as their best line of defense, which meant being empty of anything useful or damning, _most of the time._ But, if this one was active…

She knew agents like Gmork had support operators. Hackers and technicians that helped them see what they shouldn't and go where they couldn't. But, to be effective, they had to be hidden far from the battlefield, in places _exactly like this_.

Her interested smile turned into a ferocious grin.

* * *

Standing before the door that lead down to the basement office, Gmork pulled out a headset. As he pushed the head piece into place and clipped it to his ear, he grumbled, "Testing."

" _Audio confirmed. Video, too._ "

"Well, that's good." The sarcasm was barely noticeable for most, but for anyone that knew Gmork, he was laying it on thick.

Ruby might have been the only mammal left alive that knew him that well. " _I know you hate wearing it, but what's the alternative? Taking pictures with your phone? You'd hate that even more. Now, what am I looking at?_ "

"Their hideout, from the smell of things," the wolf said, opening the door. Looking down into the dark basement, the wolf pulled out a small flashlight from one of the vest pockets hidden by his jacket, then descended.

He spent twenty minutes exploring _everything._ He pulled open all of the plastic buckets of Smart Mammal brand Emergency Provisions and shook their contents out onto the floor. He pulled out every drawer and did the same, breaking the locks on the desk to do so, then checked the cabinets. He even inspected inside and behind the refrigerator.

Then he found the maintenance room. Walking in, he paused as he took in the destruction. The wrecked fuse box and crushed shelves. And ozone. It was hard to find under the thick odor of recently burned plastic, but the sharp tang of ozone was still there.

"What happened here…?" he muttered, leaning in to inspect the box, careful not to touch it. Then he turned and crouched to inspect the shelves. The bottom two were broken, while the third was warped by something. It was odd, because if anything, the top two shelves should have broken, absorbing most of the momentum of whatever landed on them, while the last one was bent absorbing the rest. It seemed out of order.

Standing, he turned around, checking the rest of the room with his flashlight to see if anything else caught his eye.

Nothing did, so after a brief but thorough inspection of the bathroom, he went upstairs.

He had wandered through the many covered pallets, wrapped stacks and large bundles hidden under tarps for about a minute before Ruby asked, " _Now what am I looking at?_ "

"A whole lot of _something,_ " Gmork said, eyeing the nearest few mystery objects . "It looks like a storage facility. This stuff hasn't been touched in years." He reached out and rubbed his thumb over a bit of plastic wrap, leaving a streak of dust.

" _Anything we need to worry about?_ "

"I doubt it, but there are too many good hiding places. We need to get a team out here to make sure they didn't leave something for someone else to find." He walked as he spoke, scanning his surroundings.

" _I'll make a note in the report._ "

"You do that…" he trailed off distractedly as he spotted something out of place. It was a white sedan, sized for a fox. Making his way over, he began to check it. There, sitting plain as day on the back seat, was a familiar binder.

"Ruby, I think I found what the rabbit took." Grabbing the document, he stood by the car and hefted it with both paws. "Geez, what's with bureaucrats and paperwork? It's like a fetish with you mammals."

" _I grew up fighting bureaucracy, so don't you dare go lumping me in with those stuffed suits. Now, open that binder, I need to check it._ " Gmork did so, flipping it to the first page. " _That's the one. Bring it- wait, what was that?_ "

The binder fell to the roof of the car with a _thump!_ He pulled his jacket zipper down, exposing his sidearm holster. "Sitrep." His voice was steady, but demanding.

" _I don't- wait._ _John! It's her!_ " Ruby said, voice fearful. That was all Gmork needed to know that the Red Thread Eidolon was in the building with him. His pistol appeared in one paw, and a serrated combat knife appeared in the other.

Eyeing his surroundings, he knew that he was at a disadvantage. The maze of covered materials would be an ideal battleground for the murderous lioness.

Ducking his head low, he started to run to the exit, trying to be as quiet as possible while still moving at speed.

"Where is she?" he whispered into his mic.

" _She came in through the south side. Infrared says she's near the ceiling. Wait, she's moving!_ "

Gmork threw himself to the side just as three red, razor sharp lines whipped right through where he'd been running. Just as they touched the floor, an unbearably loud, high-pitched screech sounded out, and the top layer of concrete was gouged out in a small explosion, leaving three perfect crescents an inch deep and nearly three feet long.

Ms. Hertz alighted on a nearby pallet in a crouch, her powerful legs easily absorbing the momentum of her fall. With a sharp swing of her arm, she sent her deadly thread whipping after Gmork.

The wolf ducked behind one of the covered bundles, missing being shredded by inches. Then he popped out from behind cover, pistol raised.

Ms. Hertz was already rolling backwards, the bullet that would have otherwise split her skull flying just over her as she fell behind cover, her threads trailing after her as they retracted.

Gmork stayed exactly where he was, not daring to move towards where she hid, knowing that once he was in range, she wouldn't have any trouble attacking from any direction. So he waited patiently.

By Gmork's count, everything was absolutely quiet and still for four heartbeats.

A blur to the right. His pistol raised and fired without conscious thought, but the bullet just blew a hole in one of the pallets, scattering wood splinters. As Ms. Hertz disappeared deeper into the maze, Gmork ducked his head and pursued her, grumbling, " _Damn,_ she's fast."

By the time he went ten yards, he'd lost her. Coming to a halt, he strained his hearing for any clue. When all he heard was silence, he held up the paw holding his knife so his camera could see it, then pointed straight up.

" _Twenty meters to your left. Ten forward,_ " Ruby said, responding to the prearranged paw sign.

Without hesitation, Gmork started forward, his pistol and knife held at the ready in front of him. With speed and stealth born of years of training and experience, he quickly, silently made his way through the strange forest of tarps and plastic wrap.

He slowed as he approached, focusing instead on his hearing. He strained his ears, but for several long seconds, all he could hear was his heartbeat and Ruby's breathing through his earpiece.

Rapid pawsteps to his left. He spun to face it, just catching her tail disappearing behind another bundle. He ran to cover the distance, then slowed cautiously.

" _She's still moving,_ " came the murmur in his ear. " _It looks like she's curving around. Behind you!_ "

Gmork spun and raised his pistol just as the lioness appeared over one of the pallets. Finding herself looking down the barrel, Ms. Hertz instantly changed direction, flinging herself to the left. That dodge was the only reason the bullet landed in her shoulder and not her throat.

As he watched the Eidolon disappear behind another stack, Gmork gave chase, fully intending on pressing his advantage. By the time he arrived, she was gone again. "God _damn_ it!" he cursed, raising his pistol and scanning his surroundings. "Where is she?"

" _Fifteen meters north._ "

Spinning on his heel, Gmork started to jog in that direction.

"I'd forgotten how annoying your little 'eye in the sky' really is!"

Gmork slowed down as Ms. Hertz' voice floated around him, seeming to come from everywhere at once in the enormous hangar.

"Too bad it won't save you," she continued, her voice feeling much closer. "The same way it didn't save your _team_. The deer and the other _dog_ died quick. Too quick, for my tastes. But the _pig._ Remember how he _squealed?_ "

Gmork grit his teeth, his hatred so strong it gave him actual, physical pain. But still, he refused to answer her, recognizing her ploy for what it was: her attempt to track him with his voice.

"But, who could blame him?" she goaded. "I bet if you were _ripped in half,_ with your guts _spilling out_ , you'd squeal, too. Let's find out."

" _She's right on top of you!_ "

Hearing something, Gmork spun to face the noise. It was a bloody lump of copper, the bullet from the lioness' shoulder skittering across the concrete. He spun the other way, and came face to face with a lioness mid-pounce, arms extended, mouth open, claws ready to rend his flesh and fangs thirsting for his blood.

The gun went off, then they crashed together to the floor. The pistol went sliding away, disappearing between two pallets. Gmork ended up on his back, both of Hertz paws on his shoulders, her deadly claws digging into his arms to agonizing effect. He had his free arm braced just below her chin, using all of his strength to hold back her snapping jaw. Their contest only lasted for moments, but it felt like a short eternity to the rapidly tiring wolf.

Then there was a wet _schlick!_ Ms. Hertz grunted and flinched, the strength seeming to flee her. Gmork took the opportunity to shove her away, pulling his combat knife free of where he had planted it to the hilt in her side, just below her ribs. He pushed himself up and back, stumbling to his feet and then immediately lowering himself into a combat stance, brandishing his now bloody knife towards her.

Ms. Hertz stayed kneeling on the ground, panting. She grit her teeth as she pressed her left paw over the wound in her side, and there was a new bullet wound in her chest oozing blood to go along with the one in her shoulder, but the smile she wore was genuine, and she looked at him with respect. The two just watched each other, panting.

It took him a moment to realize that the ringing in his ears wasn't from head trauma, but Ruby screaming through his head set. "- _MYGOD, JOHN! JOHN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?_ "

"I'm fine, Ruby. Stop yelling in my ear."

" _Ohthankgod,_ " came out in a rush, along with a massive sigh of relief. Then she said, " _What are you going to-_ "

"Quiet," he demanded. The radio went deadly silent.

Ms. Hertz shook her head with an amused scoff. "Do you know how crazy you guys look talking to yourselves?"

Gmork said nothing, staring at her with stony silence, holding himself in his ready stance.

The lioness kept talking. "Still not much for conversation, I see. You haven't changed, Gmork," she lamented, but then she shot him an impressed look. "Still, you're tougher than I thought you'd be, without a team of meatshields to hide behind. Hell, you even managed to hurt _me._ "

The wolf's eyes flicked towards his sidearm. It was about ten feet away. Well, with the Red Thread Eidolon before him, even injured, it might as well have been a mile.

The lioness caught the twitch. She deliberately turned her head to look, then turned it back to grin at him. "Now isn't _this_ interesting. You have the enemy injured before you, but she's still _dangerous~_ " she crooned at him, smiling playfully even as savagery danced in her eyes. "You could go for the gun, run away, or, my personal favorite, try to finish her with the knife. _What_ _will_ _you do?_ " she drew out the question, almost singing it in her mockery.

After a moment of quiet, a small lump ran up her throat as something pushed it's way up from inside. Still smiling, she kept her amber eyes locked on his golds as she opened her mouth and unfurled her tongue. There, sitting on the tip of the fleshy protrusion, was the bullet he'd just planted in her chest. Never breaking eye contact, she slowly, deliberately raised her right paw to grab it, giving her claws a sensual little lick as she did so.

Seeing Gmork tense up, the lioness grinned a little wider, showing off her sharp teeth as she tucked the bullet into the breast pocket of her now thoroughly ruined suit. "Whatsa'matter? Does the _big, bad_ wolf have performance anxiety? Here, I'll make it easier." She drew her right arm behind her back, leaving the left to keep a paw pressed over her knife wound. "I'll count to three, then I'll try to kill you. Are you ready?"

Gmork grit his teeth and forced his body to relax, readying himself to move fluidly and without hesitation.

"Three." Hertz threw her left arm forward, not her right, having spooled her deadly thread in her palm as she talked. Gmork ducked to the side, successfully dodging the first attack, but it left him vulnerable to when she threw her right arm out from behind her back, shooting out three more intensely vibrating fibers. The wolf swiped his knife, knocking the tendrils off their course toward his head. Intense pain shot up his arm as the blade shuddered in his grip before shattering.

Throwing the useless hilt away as he went, he leapt behind cover before immediately running around two more stacks. There, ahead of him, was his trusty forty five. Leaping forward, he dove and rolled, expertly snatching the pistol as he went. Coming up in a crouch, he had the gun precisely trained on where Ms. Hertz' head should have been.

But she was gone. Spinning to his left, then right, then raising his gun to look at the top of the stacks around him, he rapidly scanned all around, but couldn't locate her.

"Ruby, where is she?"

" _South. Ten meters. Twenty. Thirty? I think she's leaving… She's gone._ "

"What do you mean?"

" _I mean she's outside. She just ran past the SUV._ "

Gmork growled in frustration before ordering sharply, "Track her."

" _I am. She's still heading south. I think she's- hang on, she just changed direction. Oh, crap."_

"What _now?_ "

" _She's heading straight for Tundra Town._ "

"Son of a _bitch!_ " Gmork was running before he had even finished the curse, making a beeline for the entrance and his vehicle beyond. As he ran, he shouted into the mic, "Send Al to watch the New Origin. Don't engage, I just need eyes on to make sure it doesn't get away again."

" _On it._ "

Not even a whole minute later and he jumping into the driver seat. Slamming the pedal to the floor and spinning the wheel, he spun the SUV around in a cloud of dust and a spray of gravel, then he was off. As he sped down the unpaved road, something began to bother him. "Ruby, how does Hertz know where to go? Eidolon can only track each other over short distances. The New Origin is miles away by now."

" _If she saw the polar bears, it would be easy to figure out everything else. Who else in Zootopia uses polar bear enforcers, in track suits, wearing gold chains, and riding around in white limos? Anyone with five minutes and an internet connection could figure it out. I mean that literally._ "

"Should have just killed them when I had the chance," he grumbled to himself.

" _Oh, no. Oh, no no no..._ "

"What _now?!_ " Gmork shouted, fed up with how things kept piling on.

" _Uh, well…_ " Ruby delayed nervously, hating being the bearer of bad news to Gmork _,_ " _It sounds like the fox is a real Eidolon after all."_

"Why?"

" _He just killed one of the polar bears._ "

* * *

Author's note: DrummerMax64, Whit, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47, Leroidatboi, Erinnyes, Starfang's Secrets and BioPhoenix4810 are all wonderful people who deserve my undying gratitude for how much they have done for me and this story. It's a privilege working with all of you.


	28. Everyday Business for a Made Shrew

Consciousness came slowly, with the ringing in her ears growing steadily louder as her brain began to process it more clearly. Things came to her gradually and one at a time.

The first thing she noticed was the cold.

Shivering, the second thing she noticed was something warm draped over her lap.

The third thing she noticed was, when she opened her eyes, she couldn't see. Well, rather, whatever she _could_ see was blurred by red. Eyes forced themselves closed and teared up in response to whatever was hindering them. Blinking slowly, she tried to clear away the temporary red menace. She lifted her paws to rub at her face. As she shifted, she noticed that the warm thing draped over her legs was actually quite heavy, keeping her momentarily pinned.

As her vision began to clear, she slowly began to crane her head around. Wherever she was, it was white. White ceiling, white floor and white upholstery. The only color she could see was the occasional splash of red.

When trying to move didn't work, she was reminded of the weight across her knees. Propping herself up on her elbows, she looked down to see what the problem was.

Realization was slow to dawn on the doe, but her mind steadily began to process what she was seeing. After several blinks, her vision finally focused on the object pinning her, bringing it into sharp clarity. It was what she could only assume had once been a mammal's arm, still covered in what remained of the suit that valiantly clung to it. The shoulder was a mass of torn and jagged flesh from where it had been forcefully removed from its owner. She stared in open mouthed shock, unable to come to terms with the grisly scene. Thick drops of crimson dripped off the ruined limb, drawing Judy's gaze to the small pool of blood that lay around it, a macabre puddle that had grown wide enough to touch her leg. With a small squeak of terror, she kicked it off and scurried her back up against the wall of whatever she was in.

Glancing around with wide, frightened eyes, everything suddenly made sense. The white she had seen was the once nice interior of the limo, now completely trashed, and the windows shattered. The red was blood, splattered and smeared everywhere.

As she looked around, the next thing she noticed was that the car was now in two pieces, split through the middle. Looking out, she saw they were on a snowy back road, surrounded by ice-covered storage buildings and chain link fences. The front half of the vehicle was nearly a dozen yards away, upturned on the road, its wheels stuck up in the air. To her horror, the top third of a once well dressed polar bear lay on its back on the asphalt, bisected through his rib cage and missing both arms. She realized two things: One, it was probably his limb that had been pinning her down. The second thing was that, either by accident or design, his head was turned so that he was staring almost directly at her. His slackened expression looked shocked, eyes full of lost light.

Pulling up her legs, Judy curled into a ball and began to quietly sob into her arms. Rocking back and forth, she desperately tried to remember what happened. Most of it was in bits and pieces, but it slowly came back to her. When it finally formed into something coherent, her eyes widened and her rocking stopped. She looked up and quickly turned her head, desperately looking for her companion. Her search ended when she turned to face out of the missing door. The crumpled form of a fox lay a few yards away in the street, his clothes and white fur soaked in crimson, a cyan glow clearly visible through his shirt.

* * *

Twenty minutes earlier:

Judy was in a scene straight from old-fashioned gangster movies. They were in a _study_ , of all places, with bookshelves and a fireplace and a desk, all done in beautifully carved wood, all covered in a fine layer of frost. There were two polar bears behind her and three before her, one of which could have probably set records for size.

In a surreal twist, however, their boss was a shrew. One with a surprising depth of voice, considering his size. "Nicky, my boy, what have you done? What have you done, that such powerful mammals would give so much to have you?"

Nick cleared his throat and rocked slightly back and forth, looking more uncomfortable than Judy had ever seen. "Uh, I didn't really _do_ anything. I just happen to have something… valuable."

One disportionately huge brow was lifted slightly aloft. "I see. And this _valuable_ thing you happen to have, the ZPD want it? So badly as to promise me and my family certain… immunities, should the worst happen? Promises that were then backed up by the ZBI?"

Nick nodded his head jerkily. "Yeah, uh. Yes, that- that is correct."

"Hm. Nicky, I believe you understand that this will be the last time we meet."

Judy felt the bottom of her stomach fall out at the ominous declaration.

Beside her, Nick didn't look that affected, as though he had been expecting it. Still, he had to let out a steadying breath before replying, "I understand."

Mr. Big nodded. "Good. Before we part ways, I would like to ask you something."

Nick ducked his head. "Of course."

"You were a smart boy. Gifted even, in the ways of business. Why did you ever think you could get away with disrespecting me so?"

For the first time since the door at the hangar opened to reveal two polar bears, Nick stood up straight and proud. His easygoing smile even returned. "It was never about getting away with it. It was for Grandmama."

Now it was Mr. Big's posture that changed. He stiffened ever so slightly, and leaned forward, propping himself up on one elbow. His paw flexed in front of him, slowly rubbing his thumb over his knuckles. His voice was steady, but it also promised violence if he didn't like the answer. "How so?"

"We were at her wake, and you asked me for a rug for your new _parlour._ Not gone for two whole days, and you were already planning how to use her room." Nick looked briefly scornful, before he let his mask fall back into place. "After spending so much time with her, after speaking with her and laughing with her, I thought such a swell lady deserved better. So, I thought to myself: _What would Grandmama do?_ "

Mr. Big's posture didn't change, except to drop his gaze to the paw he held up in front of him, thumb still rubbing his knuckles. He quietly contemplated for a few long moments, before finally saying, "Grandmama did have a wicked sense of humor, didn't she?" His voice was thick with fond nostalgia.

"She certainly did," Nick said, his own smile tinged with fond remembrance. The surrounding polar bears all nodded or smiled in agreement, every one of them looking as though they were lost in memory.

It left Judy feeling awkward, not having any idea who or what they were talking about. She never met Grandmama! How was she supposed to know what she was like?

Their impromptu moment of silence over, Mr. Big rolled a paw at the two. "Grab them."

Judy didn't even get a chance to react before a paw literally as large as she was had her by the scruff, her legs dangling in the air.

Beside her, Nick was in much the same situation, with a massive paw dangling him a yard off the floor. As was expected, the fox began to plead for a life. To everyone's surprise, it wasn't his own. "Mr. Big, please let Judy go!"

Everything seemed to grind to a halt, all eyes on Nick. Mr. Big raised a paw and waved Raymond, the polar bear that was holding Nick, closer. The bear dangled him just out of paw's reach of his boss.

"Nicky, did you just ask me to release your companion?"

The fox nodded, trying to look as serious as one could while dangling by their fur. "Yes, Mr. Big. I beg you. It's me they want. She doesn't need to get hurt."

The arctic shrew sat back, his face set in perfect ambivalence. "I'm sorry that your better self has chosen now to be revealed, Nicky. I won't be letting the bunny go."

It was obvious that Nick was still deeply affected by what happened during and after the storm, because he never would have let Big see his true desperation otherwise. "Please, let her go!" he begged, pressing his paws together as though in prayer. "Why do you need to turn her in? She doesn't deserve it."

"I won't be turning her in either," Big said, stopping Nick cold.

The temporarily white fox stared at Big for a moment, a deep sense of dread welling up in his gut. He licked his suddenly dry lips, then asked, "Why?"

"Because I need her," the mob boss said.

The dread was turning to ice in his guts, colder than the lake under their feet. "What for?"

"To frame you for her murder."

"W-What?"

Behind the fox, Judy began to struggle in her captor's grip, reaching up to try to pry his fingers apart, kicking her legs uselessly. "What are you talking about?! What possible reason could you have for that?!"

The shrew glanced over at her with complete nonchalance, like he was speaking about the weather. "It's part of the deal, of course."

Judy shook her head, ears flapping about as she denied what he said. "There's _no way_ the ZPD authorized such a thing!"

"This has nothing to do with the ZPD, child. Let's just say there was a better deal, by an interested third party. They want you dead, and the fox to take the blame. In exchange, my business will be unimpeded for a number of years," Mr. Big explained simply.

"Only the government could give you something like that!" Judy cried out in fierce denial. "No government agency would-" Words dying in her throat, Judy fell slack as she realized what the answer was. S.I.L.E.N.C.E.

Big nodded sagely. "I see you know who I mean. So you also know how dangerous it would be to cross them. No, there is no saving you now." Raising his paw, he shooed his enforcers to the door, signaling them to take care of his troublesome visitors.

As Nick was pulled away, he couldn't help getting a parting shot in. "Grandmama would be ashamed to see her boy selling his soul."

"Stop." When the shrew held up his paw, every polar bear instantly froze. Leaning forward, Mr. Big signaled Raymond. "Bring him here."

The polar bear instantly complied, shoving the fox forward so he was face to face with his boss. "First, you use Grandmama's memory to gain my sympathy," he began, leaning forward to slip out of his chair, "and now, you use her spirit to shame me? I was wrong, Nicky. You have no better self." The shrew drew himself to his full height of some four odd inches. "You are a shameless, conniving fox, and you deserve to suffer. Kevin," he called out.

"Yes, Mr. Big?" the polar bear holding Judy replied.

"Kill the bunny. Slowly."

"What?! NO!" Nick cried out, throwing his arms over his shoulders to claw at the paw holding him. Judy started her resistance again in earnest, kicking and clawing as well.

"Make him watch," Big ordered. Raymond turned and held up his captive, while Kevin did the same, putting the two at eye level and only a few feet apart.

Then Kevin reached forward with his other paw and wrapped his huge fingers around Judy's torso, planting his thumb firmly over her spine, ignoring how her small, blunt claws scratched at him with practiced ease.

When his grip began to tighten, her struggles doubled. She dug in her claws so hard they threatened to tear out, and she kicked so hard her tendons might've snapped, but nothing she did worked.

Across from her, Nick was fighting just as hard, with just as much success. He desperately clawed at the paw holding him, screaming the entire time. "No! Let her go! Let her go, she doesn't deserve this!"

Judy cried out as the massive thumb in her back started to press in, slowly crushing the air from her lungs. As it got harder and harder to breath, her breaths came shorter and faster until they were nothing but shallow gasps. Her strength slowly left her as fire grew in her chest, her lungs burning for air. She went slack in the polar bear's grip, barely even conscious. No longer able to struggle, she began to focus on her surroundings.

"- _dy! Judy! C'mon, stay with me!_ "

Blearily opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Nick's panicked face.

The fox immediately brightened when he saw her eyes were open again. "There they are! Those beautiful eyes! Judy, listen, you have to stay with me alright? Keep your eyes open! You're stronger than this. You can make it!"

As though just to prove the opposite was true, Kevin squeezed her in his paw, forcing all of her air out in an agonized shout.

Nick's eyes snapped to Kevin's, a truly fearsome snarl on his face. "You _brainless bastard, you let her go!_ "

Kevin didn't let her go, but he did relax his grip just enough to let her take shallow breaths. Boss said to make it slow, after all.

When his bunny managed to choke in some air, Nick instantly switched his focus back to her. "Judy! H-hey, alright! Atta girl!" Though he was trying to sound upbeat, like they could get through this, tears were streaming down his face, wetting his fur and choking him. "I know it hurts, sweetheart, but you have to fight, alright? You have to keep fighting!"

Darkness danced at the edge of her vision. It crept across her world and snuffed everything out until all she could hear was the voice shouting for her, and see the face that cried for her. Her focus narrowed down until there was only _him._

" _...Nick…_ " she spoke his name as loud as she could, but it still only came out as a hoarse whisper. She reached for him, using everything she had just to raise her arm.

Seeing her paw strain toward him, Nick reached out to take it into his own, desperate to touch her. Just as their fingers touched, Raymond pulled him back, breaking the bond before it could form.

Nick watched with horror as Judy's eyes slid closed, her arm falling limp over Kevin's fist. "NOOO!" he screamed. He grit his teeth and swung his arms back, punching at the arm Raymond held him up with. "Let me _go!_ _You bastard! Let me go!_ "

Behind him, Nick heard Mr. Big's voice as though it were coming from a great distance. "That's enough. Finish her."

Nick's paws came up to grip Raymond's wrist, his claws digging deep enough to actually draw blood, something the polar bear professionally forced himself to ignore. Pain blossomed in Nick's chest as he watched Judy weakly cry out as the life was crushed from her.

Hatred and despair like never before took hold of him. " _I'll kill you!_ " The fox screamed, eyes clenched shut. When they snapped open again a second later, they flashed brilliantly. " _ **I'll kill you!**_ "

He hadn't even recognized the familiar building feeling in his chest until it suddenly shot up his arms and vanished through his fingertips. There was a brief, intense sound, like lightning, but many magnitudes lower.

To the shock of all, a single layer of smoke burst from all over Raymond's body. It was so brief that the cloud created almost instantly dispersed, spreading the acrid scent of burnt fur throughout the room.

Nick fell to the floor as suddenly nerveless fingers lost the strength to hold him up. He landed on his feet, but it was so unexpected that he failed to catch himself. He ended up sprawled across the floor, the wind partially knocked out of him. He turned to watch over his shoulder as Raymond swayed backwards and fell flat on his back with a meaty thump. The polar bear's dark eyes stayed open, staring sightlessly at the ceiling.

The first one to react was Kevin. "Ray? Raymond?" his voice went from concerned to fearful in just those two utterances. "Brother!"

Nick had turned back to Kevin when he spoke. Seeing Judy's limp form in the enforcer's grip, Nick did something that would be almost unthinkable to anyone that knew him: he jumped up and bit the polar bear's meaty paw.

So distracted by Raymond's still form was Kevin that Nick's attack shocked him into releasing Judy. Nick wrapped himself around her as they fell, allowing himself to take the brunt of the impact.

Not wasting any time, the fox tucked the rabbit to his side with one arm and dashed to the corner that was farthest from everyone else.

Kevin threw up his paws and stepped aside as the fox scurried past him, his face caught somewhere between furious and wary. Deciding his brother was more important than a trapped fox and bunny, he turned to run to the fallen polar bear's side.

But the others hadn't been idle. The smallest of the polar bears was actually the family doctor, brought in whenever one of these meetings was expected to have casualties. Usually, he just performed an exam on some frozen mammal fished from the lake to make sure they were really dead. By the time Kevin knelt on the floor by Raymond's side, the doctor was already performing chest compressions.

The second to smallest polar bear, the family consigliere and legal consult, was there because, as a high-ranking member of the family, he was expected to attend all important meetings. However, he did not cower, instead bravely stepping forward to place himself between Mr. Big and the suddenly dangerous fox.

Koslov, the largest mammal in the room by far, had turned and punched in one of the wooden panels above the fireplace. Fishing around in the space beyond, he pulled out an obscenely large double barrel shotgun. Grabbing the cannon of a firearm in both huge paws, he stepped around the desk to stand in front of the consigliere and Mr. Big, both deadly barrels leveled squarely on Nick.

The fox barely noticed the danger, instead taken only with making sure Judy was alright. Holding the bunny up with one arm, he gently stroked her cheek with the other paw. "Judy? Judy, c'mon. Wake _up_ , bunny, _please._ " He shook her ever so gently, trying to rouse her without risking any more damage. After only a couple seconds, she coughed and gasped, filling her lungs with one giant breath. When her eyes snapped open the first thing she saw was Nick's anxious face looking down at her.

"Nick!" she croaked, chest still pained from her experience.

"Shh, shh, shh. Don't talk," Nick shushed her, tenderly running a paw over her head to smooth down her ears.

Judy's eyes closed as she enjoyed the comforting touch, but then they snapped open again as she remembered where they were. Frantically scanning the room, she gasped as her eyes landed on Koslov and his shotgun.

Nick finally turned to look as well. When he registered the threat, he pulled Judy to his chest and turned his back to the room, using his body to shield her. It also gave Mr. Big and all of the polar bears a fantastic view of the huge, irregular splotch of light shining through the shirt on his back.

Mr. Big stood at the edge of his desk, watching as Raymond continued to fail to respond to the doctor's treatment. The shrew knew, somehow, that his employee would not be revived. "How? Nicky, how did you do this!?"

The fox turned his head just enough to peek over his shoulder at the room. Seeing the doctor check Raymond's pulse and shake his head, Nick looked away as Kevin broke down on the spot, sobbing into his dead brother's chest. "I told you. It's just something I have now."

Mr. Big looked from the corpse of one of his most loyal soldiers to the softly glowing back of an animal that had betrayed him. Considering everything he knew about the situation, he decided on the way forward. "Koslov, honor the agreement."

" _What?!_ " Kevin yelled, jumping to his feet. He pointed at Nick with one paw and gestured wildly with the other. "You let the fox that killed my brother live?! No, it can't be true! I _must_ kill him!"

Mr. Big turned to look Kevin in the eye as he spoke, showing how sure he was of his solution. "We must turn the fox over, or Raymond will just be the first to die. We must do this, for the Family's sake."

Kevin's arms dropped to his side and he stared at the ground, morose but resolute. "Yes, Mr. Big."

Just then, an idea came to the shrew that might act as a compromise. "Kevin, go with Koslov. If you want revenge on the fox that killed your brother, then kill the rabbit." Mr. Big pointed at the two in the corner. Kevin turned to look, and they watched as the bunny and fox huddled in the corner, seeking comfort in the other's arms. The crime boss spoke what they both thought out loud, "He seems to be very fond of her."

* * *

After being threatened with dismemberment by shotgun, the two were walked back to the limo they had arrived in, with Koslov very meticulously keeping them down the sights of his massive double barrel. Judy and Nick got in first and were told to sit in the rearmost seat. Then Koslov got in and sat in the middle seat, the one that faced towards the rear. This way, if he shot his gun, there would be no risk to the driver. Then Kevin got in the front passenger seat, sitting next to the driver, a quiet and unremarkable jaguar by the name of Manchas.

That was how Judy found herself sitting in the back of a nice limo with a shotgun pointed at her head and with an artificially white fox sitting next to her. At some point their paws had intertwined, and as strange as it was, she couldn't bear to pull away. As they sat in the terrible quiet, Judy decided she just couldn't take it anymore. "Uh, Nick?"

Koslov shifted slightly, stopping them both dead. When the huge enforcer didn't actually forbid him from talking, Nick slowly replied, "Yeah, Carrots?"

"Who was 'Grandmama'?"

"Mr. Big's grandmother. When I was part of his organisation-"

"You were in the mob?!"

Koslov shifted in his seat, prompting the two to silence for a time. When the bear continued to just stare without admonishing them, Nick continued.

"I wasn't an enforcer or anything. I was good with numbers and mammals, so Mr. Big hired me on as a trainer to teach his mammals how to fudge the numbers in their favor. I was an accountant, really.

"Anyway, Mr. Big invites everyone that he thinks has worth to a private dinner. I met Grandmama, she insisted everyone call her that, at _my_ dinner. She thought that I was 'just such a charming, young tod', that she invited me for tea and cookies, and when the grandmother of a mob boss invites you to tea and cookies, you go to tea and cookies. She liked me so much that she invited me again, and again, and again. After a while, we became good friends. She died after a couple years.

"When Mr. Big asked me to get some furniture for the new parlour he was going to put in her old room, and she hadn't even been put in the ground yet, well, I acted rashly. I found a dealer of very fashionable, very _expensive_ rugs, or so I told him. Made a lot of money. Of course, I couldn't go back after that, but I guess I didn't want to be there, anymore."

Judy wasn't sure what to say to that. "Oh."

They fell into a silence after that. It hadn't quite lasted a minute before a muffled thud sounded from above. Everyone looked up as what had to be footsteps sounded through the roof.

The shotgun slowly drifted upwards as Koslov eyed the ceiling suspiciously, leaving Nick and Judy out of the line of fire for the first time since the weapon appeared.

Nick saw his chance. Pulling his paw from Judy's, he leapt out of his chair straight for Koslov.

But the bear hadn't been an enforcer this long for nothing. Eyes snapping down, his shotgun followed suit.

Then the world erupted into a chaos of sounds and blurs. The first item to go wrong was the shotgun going off, blasting a sizable hole in the back window and throwing Nick back to crash against the base of the seat he had just vacated.

Judy ducked and threw her arms over her ears as shattered glass flew over head.

There was a deafening screech as something tore through the floor under Koslov's seat. The entire limo seemed to jump, throwing Judy from her seat to smash into the ceiling, and she knew no more.

* * *

Back in the present

"N-Nick? Nick!" Judy called out, tears still running down her face. Leaning forward, she crawled from the vehicle, wincing as broken glass dug into her palms and knees. Making it to the pavement, she stumbled to the fox's blood-smeared form.

He was laid out on his front, with his arms tucked under his chest and legs and tail sprawled out behind him.

Judy fell to her knees by his shoulder and carefully laid her paws on his back, gently shaking him. "Nick, p-please talk to me. _Please,_ " she begged, her voice still hitching with sobs. When he didn't answer, she leaned forward, grabbed his shoulder and pulled, rolling him onto his back.

She screamed at what she saw, both paws jumping to cover her mouth. Koslov's shotgun had hit the fox after all. Everything, starting from his right ear, then moving down and across the side of his head, muzzle and neck before finally spreading across his shoulder and upper arm, was ravaged by the shotgun blast. In some places, enough fur and muscle had been scored off to expose bone.

"No, no, no _._ Oh, Nick, _no._ " Her whispered denials floated over them as she reached out a shaky paw, only to pull it back just before she could touch the grievous wound. Instead, she raised her paw to his undamaged cheek. At least, she _thought_ it was undamaged. There was just so much blood soaking his fur, she couldn't be sure.

Ignoring the feeling of her fur becoming even more soaked with blood, she tenderly stroked his cheek, hoping against hope that he would feel it and wake up.

Screaming floated from somewhere on the other side of the wrecked limo, pulling Judy's gaze in that direction. "Get away! No, get- AAH-!" The screaming was cut off by a squelch and a meaty thud. It was a terrifying sound, filled with sick finality.

Judy squeaked as something grabbed her paw. Turning forward, she gasped in shock as she realized that it was Nick's paw wrapped around her own, and that his eyes were open and looking at her.

His right eye was damaged, blood filling the orb so thoroughly that there wasn't a bit of white to be seen. The red darkened his green iris, giving his gaze an unsettling, almost alien feeling that would have unsettled any mammal that had the two mismatched eyes settle on them.

Judy hardly noticed, too overjoyed by his awakening to be bothered. "Nick! Oh, thank goodness!" She grabbed his larger paw with both her smaller ones and just held it, feeling unspeakable relief flow through her.

But the unsettling scream weighed heavily on her mind. Glancing over her shoulder in the direction it came from, she saw the coast was clear, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was there.

Turning back to Nick, she looked into his eyes as she stroked his cheek again. There was sorrow and regret in her eyes as she said, "Nick, I think there's something out here with us. I know you're hurting, but we have to go."

The mutilated fox looked up at her like he didn't quite understand. She realized then that he was likely in shock and only had a dim awareness, of himself and his surroundings. To her surprise, after only a moment, he gave a shallow nod.

"That's my strong fox," she said, encouragingly. "I'll help you up. Just put your arm around me." Crouching down next to him, she pulled his left arm around her shoulders. To her dismay, Nick immediately began to whine in agony, his eyes rolling into his head from the intense pain. As she pushed him to his feet, she apologized over and over. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _sorry…_ "

Judy got the two of them standing, though Nick was slumped over her shoulders, forcing her to carry most of their combined weight. The rabbit began to walk them across the icy road towards the nearest alley.

They made it about ten feet before a shadow fell over them, prompting Judy to stop their forward progress. Gulping, she turned her head to look over her shoulder at the mammal standing behind them.

A lioness in a bloody business suit stood over them, arms crossed, her hip cocked and an interested smile on her lips. When Judy looked up at her, she spread her smile just wide enough to show off her fangs. "Well, hello," Ms. Hertz purred.

* * *

Author's note: DrummerMax64, Whit, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47, Leroidatboi, Erinnyes, Starfang's Secrets and BioPhoenix4810 are still here with me, putting up with my various problems to help me release this quality content.

The helper of the week is Whit, who wrote the opening scene that got this whole chapter started. It would have been a different, and I think inferior, chapter without him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S Starfang's Secrets has just started up her own [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/StarfangsSecrets?alert=2), and I encourage you all to visit and consider donating.


	29. The Fracture Widens

"Well, hello."

Judy stood frozen under the big cat's intent gaze, staring up at the absolutely _predatory_ smile the lioness wore and the sharp teeth it put on display.

Nick's weight bearing down on her shoulder and her legs trembling under the strain snapped her back into reality. Snapping away from the terrifying ivory smile, desperate eyes darted over the lioness, looking for some clue as to her identity.

No badge, no gun, and no uniform. Not a cop. No black battle fatigues. Not with Gmork. Business suit. Maybe ZBI? Blouse is stained with blood. Maybe not.

All of these thoughts and more raced through her mind as she took in the lioness. Then her mind caught on that word: _Lioness._ Wasn't it a _lioness_ that got Nick caught up in this mess? A lioness in a business suit.

The name slipped from her lips without meaning to. "Ms. Hertz?"

The lioness shifted, lazily switching from one cocked hip to the other, her tail flipping behind her. Her smile, if it were possible, became even more threatening. "That's right. And who might you be?"

It didn't occur to her to lie, only that more talking was less violence. "Judy Hopps, ma'am."

"Hm hm." Ms. Hertz chuckled, amused by the rabbit's seemingly out of place politeness. How perfectly _droll_. Still, time to get back to business. No doubt Gmork was close behind. "Well, _Judy Hopps,_ that fox looks awfully heavy. Why don't I take him for you?"

Before Judy could reply, the lioness had already reached forward and grabbed Nick by the scruff. The fox hollered and clutched at her wrist with his good paw, roused from his shock-addled stupor by the white hot agony of his ruined flesh being pulled taut. Ms. Hertz effortlessly hoisted him into the air, his eighty pounds no more a challenge for her than lifting a paper weight.

To the feline's surprise, the rabbit came along for the ride. Arms wrapped around the fox's middle and legs locked around his knees, she held on like her life depended on it. She turned to glare at Nick's tormentor. "Let him go! You're hurting him!"

Droll was one thing, but this was just annoying. Ms. Hertz glared back, her expression tinged with disgust. "You're lucky I don't hunt small game. Get off." Rather than waiting for a response, the lioness grabbed the doe, her much larger paw wrapping around her entire rib cage, and pulled.

Judy resisted as much as she could, burying her face into Nick's side and clenching every muscle in her body, but the much larger predator was just too strong.

It took more effort than expected, but Ms. Hertz managed to peel off the irritating prey. The brief struggle drew another, even more agonized shout from the fox, the tug on his damaged shoulder and neck causing almost unbearable pain.

Once Judy was separated, Ms. Hertz flicked her away. The lioness watched with some satisfaction as the doe landed badly, crying out as she slapped the pavement.

Nick, on the other paw, was furious at seeing his bunny in pain again.

It was only instinct-driven reflexes that saved Ms. Hertz from a fate similar to Raymond. Feeling something rapidly building up in the fox, she snatched her paw back like he was a live grenade, but it wasn't enough to entirely escape injury.

While her arm was pulling away, Nick's paw was dislodged from her wrist. However, one claw was still touching her when he loosed the charge building in his chest.

As Nick hit the ground, Ms. Hertz leaped back, cursing and spitting, shaking out her arm like a mammal who'd just stuck a fork in an electrical socket.

When she raised her eyes back up to glare at the source of her pain, she found the fox crouched protectively before the rabbit. He was turned to face the lioness, standing on his three good limbs, his injured arm pulled to his chest, muzzle pulled back in a snarl made even more fearsome by his bloody fur and now mismatched eyes. His fur stood on end, his tail bushed and held aloft in an instinctive bid to look larger.

Ms. Hertz answered with a fierce feline growl, ears pulled back and teeth on display. She hunched down, with both arms held out and claws brandished.

The proverbial pissing match was interrupted by Judy, who rose from the ground to press herself into Nick's good side. She grabbed his shirt and tugged, trying to guide him away. "Nick, c'mon. We can't fight like this. Let's just go."

Ms. Hertz watched with confusion as the other Eidolon seemed to relax under the bunny's touch, then with interest as the fox submitted, letting the rabbit press herself under his arm to once again lead him away.

 _So that's the way it is,_ she thought as her tense expression relaxed. _Well, then. This should be easy._

Before either of them knew what was happening, Judy was being torn away from Nick's side by a red thread wrapped around her waist. She screamed in fear and confusion as she was pulled backward through the air to land firmly in Ms. Hertz' grip.

The sudden loss of support sent Nick sprawling, but he was quickly back up on three limbs, snarling fiercely at the lioness.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Ms. Hertz interrupted, wagging a claw at him in admonishment. Then she held the same claw to a struggling Judy's throat, making the rabbit go very still. "None of that."

Nick grit his teeth, but sealed his lips, hiding his fangs away and visibly backing down.

"That's a good fox. Now, no more resisting or your _doll_ here is going to pop a seam. Understand?"

Nick nodded tersely in reply.

"I asked you a question!" the lioness called, pressing the claw harder against Judy's pulse. "Answer me or the toy loses her stuffing!"

"I understand!" replied a voice so rough that it could hardly be recognized as Nick's. He collapsed to his knees, shoulders slumped as the resistance went out of him.

"That's good," purred the lioness, pleased with his show of submission.

She walked up to the fox and crouched down to grab him by the front of his thoroughly ruined shirt. Standing, she brought the fox up until they were almost nose to nose, smiling victoriously. "Now, we're going to my house for a little _chat_."

* * *

A black SUV skidded around the corner in Tundra Town, sliding across the icy pavement to come perilously close to hitting the curb. Avoiding a serious accident by mere inches, the vehicle finally got traction and took off, making a beeline for the wall bordering the Rainforest District.

Gmork sat in the driver's seat, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles popped.

"Tell me where they are," he ordered into his headset.

" _John, she's nearly a mile ahead of you. You can't catch up and once she is over the wall, she'll disappear._ "

"What are the goddam coordinates!?"

A morose sigh came over the radio. "... _take a left. Go three blocks down and take a right. That'll take you through the tunnel to Rainforest and as close to her as you're going to get._ "

Gritting his teeth, the black wolf spun his wheel and turned at the next intersection, sideswiping a blue sedan that had been passing through and sending it crashing into a light pole.

Ignoring the damage he'd just caused, the wolf followed Ruby's directions. Once he was on the straightaway to the tunnel, he pressed the gas pedal to the floor. As he weaved recklessly through traffic, Ruby's voice whispered in his ear, " _She's gone, John._ "

"Just because the satellite can't see her doesn't mean she turned to smoke!" he barked back at her. "I can still find her."

" _No, you can't. She always gets away. It's what she does best. That won't change. Just… just come back to me._ "

"Why are you giving up? We can't let her get away! That monster has the New Origin!"

" _I know, John. We failed the mission and Aphos… Aphos is going to-_ " her voice cracked and she sobbed, a sound that reached right into his chest and squeezed his heart. " _I don't know if I'm going to be alive tomorrow. Please, please come back._ "

Gmork slammed the brakes, his SUV screeching to a halt in the road. Other drivers honked and cursed as they drove around him, but he paid them no mind. He sat staring down the tunnel, then turned his head to the left, where a road would take him south, towards where Ruby waited for him in their cheap hotel room. The conflict over whether to continue the fruitless search or go to comfort the distressed she-wolf raged across mind and soul.

" _Please, John. I don't want to be alone._ "

Silently, he turned his wheel and headed south, leaving the tunnel behind.

* * *

Night had fallen over Tundra Town. Surrounded by bustling police and forensic technicians alike, Chief Bogo himself stood squinting through the flashing lights at the most inexplicable car accident he had ever witnessed, and he had seen a rhino-sized sedan embedded in an apartment complex roof.

In spite of the relative isolation of the industrial road, a small crowd of curious onlookers had gathered. Seeing smartphones out of the corner of his eye, Bogo turned to shout at the officers on crowd control. "Get those civilians back! No cameras!"

The officers jerked into compliance, pressing the small crowd back and holding their paws up to cover any lenses they could see, whether it was on a smartphone or a real camera.

The Chief continued to glare in that direction, making sure no one got past his officers. Someone clearing their throat pulled his attention downward. It was Stanley Reuber, the pangolin forensic tech that had handled the Pier 81 Murders. He nodded respectfully. "Chief."

Bogo nodded back, his respect for one of his best techs obvious. "Stanley."

Apparently needing no more formalities, the pangolin got right into it. "We have three bodies on site, and evidence of at least three more players, including a lot of blood. We also found an obscenely large shotgun with a spent shell. Looking at the fur and skin left behind, as well as the paw prints, I would guess we have a dead fox somewhere. Our second missing guest is a rabbit, one with dark fur. Finally, we have some kind of big cat. Judging from the shape, size and depth of the prints in the snow, it's probably a lioness."

"Hm," Bogo grunted, already processing the information. Even wrecked as it was, he could easily recognize one of Mr. Big's limos. Strange thing was, it was headed away from his mansion, and the deal was to pick up the missing Wilde and Hopps (because who else could it be?) there. Where had Mr. Big's polar bear goons been taking them? And what did the lioness, probably the elusive Ms. Hertz, have to do with it?

"There's more." Stanley's voice pulled the Chief from his musings. Seeing he had his boss' attention once more, the pangolin continued. "The wounds on the bodies here match the ones on Pier 81 exactly. Also, whatever happened to them happened to the car. It was the same weapon."

"You're sure about that?"

"As sure as I can be without actually seeing it."

"Do we have any idea kind of weapon this is?"

Stanley sighed and rubbed his forehead, brow wrinkled in deep thought. "...I don't- I mean, _maybe-_ It's theoretical."

Bogo quirked a brow, wondering what had his tech so discombobulated. "Well, _theoretically,_ what is it?"

"Theoretically…" Stanley answered slowly, "...these wounds look like something made from a vibroweapon."

Bogo's expression went flat. _Oh, what fresh hell is this?_ "Vibroweapon."

"Like I said, it's theoretical. Sci-fi stuff. But, so were railguns, not too long ago."

"Explain."

"Imagine something vibrating millions or billions of times a second. Then imagine it punched you in the head."

"It would do a lot of damage."

The pangolin shook his head. "No, sir, not _just_ a lot of damage. Anything that came into contact would shatter, and anything that didn't shatter would explode from the heat caused by the friction. It would _annihilate_ everything it touched."

"Then why aren't the bodies puddles of goo? Why didn't the car explode?" Bogo put his hooves on his hips and leaned in, interested in the answer.

"It seems like the applicator is extremely thin and long, like thread. They literally wrapped a single strand of this stuff around the limo and vaporized a thin slice from the middle of it. From the looks of it, Koslov just happened to be in the way."

"And the other two?"

"The jaguar driver and the other polar bear were killed after the accident, but with the same…" the pangolin struggled for a moment before settling on a term. "...vibrothread."

Bogo grunted in annoyance. "If this weapon is so powerful, why isn't it widespread?"

Stanley spread his arms wide. "Because the technology shouldn't exist. No material known to mammaldom can withstand the forces involved. The device would shake itself to dust before you got anything useful out of it."

"Until now."

Stanley shrugged. "That's why it's theoretical."

Bogo leaned back and trailed his gaze upward, gazing thoughtfully up at the night sky. Then he looked back to Stanley. "This is the kind of technology governments keep secret, isn't it?"

Stanley look nonplussed for a second, before slowly nodding. "I would think so."

Bogo sighed before waving the pangolin off. "Thank you, Stanley. I'll read the rest in the report."

With a respectful nod, the tech turned away to resume his duties.

Fangmeyer appeared so quickly afterward it was like he was waiting for his boss to be free. "Chief, I have the preliminary report, including the IDs of the victims."

"Start with the IDs."

"Pyotr Koslov, polar bear, male. Kevin Alexeyev, polar bear, male. Renato Manchas, jaguar, male," the tiger rattled off from memory.

All associates of the Mr. Big crime family, Bogo noted to himself. "Time of death."

"Between six fifty and seven o'clock."

"Cause of death."

"Bisection, sir." Though he looked and sounded professionally unaffected, Bogo's sharp eyes caught the slight ripple of fur across Fangmeyer's throat that signalled he'd had to swallow before he could continue. "Koslov had the worst of it, being in four pieces and all, but the other two were decapitated. It's just like Pier 81."

"Yes, so forensics was telling me." The irritation in Bogo's voice was obvious, so Fangmeyer wisely remained silent while the buffalo glared contemplatively at the ground, working through everything he'd learned.

Raising one hoof to thoughtfully rub and tap at his chin, he spoke up without raising his eyes from the ground, "Fangmeyer."

The tiger straightened just a little, knowing he was about to receive orders. "Yes, Chief."

"A lioness was here. I think it was the same one at the pier: Ms. Hertz. I _don't_ think it's a coincidence that we found three more mammals killed in exactly the same way. Spread her sketch around the department- no, the whole force. I don't want my officers to die like _that._ " He pointed forward to where Koslov's head and shoulders were being carefully placed inside a thick plastic bag by two burly rams in coveralls.

Fangmeyer turned to look, grimacing in disgust at the sight. "Understood, sir."

"I thought we could trust the ZBI and whoever is pulling that she-wolf's strings to resolve this, but obviously not. Step up the investigation on every front. I want this resolved before any innocents are involved. I'll be damned before I let the civilians of _my_ city get caught up in this ridiculous secret war."

Fangmeyer looked his boss in the eye and nodded, looking grave. "Yes, sir. Right away."

It was a few minutes later and Bogo was just about to return to the precinct when his cellphone vibrated. Pulling it out, he checked the caller ID before answering. "Grizzoli, report."

" _Things are weird at Mr. Big's place, Chief._ "

"How so?"

" _Basically, they told me to get lost. There was a sudden death in the Family and they didn't have time to talk to the ZPD._ "

"They already knew about the accident?"

" _That's the thing, I don't think so. I asked them the same question and they seemed shocked. I think someone else died_ before _the accident._ "

Bogo growled, sick to death of not knowing what was going on in his city. "Did you talk to your cousin?"

" _Yeah. He said everything was normal right up until some emergency meeting in Mr. Big's private office at about six thirty. He said he saw a fox and a rabbit getting marched outside by Koslov, and he was carrying a gun. Said the whole house has been in an uproar ever since._ "

"Six thirty…" Bogo muttered to himself. "Just before the accident."

" _Chief?_ "

Shaking his head, the buffalo focused back on the present. "Grizzoli, ask around. Get any details you can on the fox and rabbit that had been there. Then get back to the precinct."

" _You got it, boss._ "

The line went dead and Bogo tucked his phone back into its pocket. He resumed the trek back to his cruiser and got in. As he pulled away from the scene, he glared at the dark, icy road ahead.

_Everything is about to get worse. I can_ _feel it_ _._

* * *

Gmork and Ruby sat across from eachother at the dinky little table in the cheap hotel room. Gmork sat ramrod straight in his seat with both arms on the table. In his right paw was both of Ruby's, the younger, smaller she-wolf leaning across the table to clutch at him. In his left sat the familiar flip phone.

Ruby had closed her eyes and buried her face in her outstretched arms, physically unable to face what was coming. Gmork watched as her shoulders shook with silent sobs, felt her small paws tremble in his with fear. To an outside observer, he appeared apathetic, but little details gave him away. Usually stiffly upright, his ears were now slightly wilted. Though his expression was neutral, his eyes were soft as they slowly traced her form. The most damning evidence of all was how his thumb slowly, gently rubbed her knuckles.

An astute observer would find a wolf whose heart was breaking, but knew how to hide it because it had been broken before.

"Can't- can't we just call hi-him?" Ruby sobbed, at her breaking point. "I can't take wait-waiting anymore!"

"You don't ever call Aphos," Gmork gently warned. "That'll just make things worse. Aphos calls you."

Ruby raised her head to look at him, her face a mess of clumpy, tearstained fur. "How-how does he- he know to call?"

"He knows. He _always_ knows."

As though to prove his point, the phone chose that moment to ring. Ruby jumped, then buried her face back into her arms. A high-pitched whine escaped her throat as her two-pawed grip on Gmork's paw became painfully tight.

Gmork didn't mind. He squeezed her paw back, gently, as he flipped the phone open and raised it to his ear. His eyes squeezed shut as he said the cursed name, "Aphos."

" _ **That's ri~ght!**_ " the oily, wretched voice sing songed over the phone, making Gmork's skin feel damp and fur like he'd just rolled in something foul. " _ **I was just**_ _ **thinking**_ _**about you. You know, since it's been a few days since our last chat. Now, before we begin, is there**_ **anything** _**you'd like to tell me?**_ "

"The-" Gmork swallowed and took a deep breath. "The Red Thread Eidolon has the New Origin."

" _ **My, my. You admitted it. You're bravery continues to impress, my pet. Unfortunately, it doesn't make up for this appalling failure.**_ "

"I can get it back," Gmork interjected.

" _ **Oh, I'm not so sure about that, pooch,**_ " Aphos said. " _ **You said you could do it before, and now look at what you've done. You lost my favorite new toy.**_ "

"If I had a new team-"

" _ **Shut up.**_ "

Mouth snapping shut, Gmork stared down at the table with his ears pinned back. Across from him, Ruby had gone quiet, but her shoulders still shook.

" _ **I think it's time for a new approach. Obviously, a team led by you isn't good enough. I'll be sending some friends of mine to take care of the situation. I didn't want them to know, but I guess there isn't any helping it. Do you understand what that means?**_ "

An icy shiver went down Gmork's spine as he realized that, no matter what, he wasn't going to like the answer.

" _ **It means you've**_ _ **embarrassed me in front of my friends**_ _ **,**_ " Aphos hissed. " _ **And that is the worst thing a dog like you could ever do to his master!**_ "

"I'm sorry-" The pain came, sharp and sudden, stiffening him up in his seat as every muscle in his body locked up, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as his mind sought desperately for relief and found no recourse.

Three seconds passed. Then, it was over. Gmork slumped to the table, feeling hollow and exhausted from that brief experience alone.

"Oh, my god! John!" Ruby jumped from her seat and leaned over him, clutching at his back and shoulders because there was nothing else she could do.

When he shakily brought the phone back to his ear, Aphos quickly reminded him, " _ **I didn't give you permission to speak,**_ _ **pet**_ _ **. Understand?**_ "

Gmork nodded in lieu of a verbal reply, knowing that, somehow, Aphos would know.

" _ **Good. Now, usually, this is the part where I torture Ruby, since you've so utterly failed to convince me you don't care for her. However, she's my face right now, making sure my interests are made known to those that think they have authority. That makes her useful. But, now that I've farmed out your task to others, I don't need you anymore.**_ "

Eyes sliding closed, Gmork resigned himself to death. It was odd how, after a life filled with soul-crushing regrets, the only thing that crossed his mind was how grateful he was that he wouldn't have to watch Ruby die.

" _ **I know what you're thinking and you're right. I**_ **should** _**kill you. But,**_ **that** _**would be too easy.**_ "

Gmork's eyes snapped open.

_Oh, no._

" _ **You're such a useful slave, it would be a waste to just kill you, but this failure of yours isn't something I can forgive easily. So, you'll get one chance to make it up to me. I'm going to do that nifty trick I do- you know the one, where I envelop you in unbearable agony?- and I'm going to**_ **keep doing it** _ **until my friends arrive in two days. I'll let up every- oh, I don't know, let's say twelve- every twelve hours or so, just long enough to let you take that big pistol of yours and stick it in your mouth.**_ "

Gmork sat back up in his chair, his expression somehow both terrified and resigned. Ruby looked on, unable to hear the conversation but knowing it must be terrible indeed to have put real fear on the dark wolf's face.

" _ **If you haven't killed yourself by the time my friends arrive, I'll forgive you. For added incentive, I'll kill Ruby slowly and horribly if you do kill yourself, or if your heart explodes or something. You know, so you'll at least**_ **try.** "

He couldn't stop the words from spilling from his lips. "Oh, God."

" _ **Not really. More like the opposite, actually. I'll give you five seconds to tell your pretend bed warmer what she needs to know.**_ "

Gmork numbly lowered the phone and stared at Ruby.

The pretty she-wolf stared back, fretting anxiously. "What? What is it?"

Swallowing thickly was supposed to help, but the lump in his throat didn't go away. "If I die, he'll kill you, too."

Ruby blinked at him, at a loss for words.

Then Gmork's golden eyes rolled into his head and he slumped to the floor, where he began to violently jerk and seize.

Ruby dropped down next to him, crying out his name. "John!"

* * *

Author's Note: All the usual thanks to DrummerMax64, Whit, Chesterization, MilesUpshur47, Leroidatboi, Erinnyes, Starfang's Secrets and BioPhoenix4810. Also to the wonderful people on Cimar's Zootopia Discord Channel, who recently welcomed this unworthy seeker into their illustrious ranks and deigned to look upon my work. It is a privilege.


	30. (Not) A Sexy Shower Scene

Zootopia had several casinos and, while none were as famous as Sahara Square's  _The Palm Hotel_ , there were a few spread throughout each district. One of the smallest stood in central Rainforest District. At a measly five stories tall, it wasn't even a fifth as large as the  _Palm._  Across the front was a huge neon sign proudly declaring it the  _Lucky Fox's Hotel and Casino._ The bright pink neon depicted a nude vixen draped alluringly over the title, her tail strategically placed to cover any indecency.

Across the street, bathed in the rosy glow of the large neon sign, was a simple, three floored brick faced structure. The first floor was a bar with a much smaller, simpler, red neon sign written out in flowing script:  _Getting Lucky._

Above the bar was two floors of rooms for rent, which were mostly used by drunks sleeping off a bender and mammals hooking up after meeting in the bar below or in the casino across the street.

Mostly.

On the top floor, a door slammed open, allowing a shadowed figure, dripping wet, to walk into a darkened hallway, one small form hanging from a paw and another, larger one tucked under the other arm. It moved swiftly, entering a living room that was faintly lit by a pink glow streaming in through the blinds covering the windows. It then tossed the two burdens on the couch, where they landed with a squeak of surprise and a pained whine, respectively.

Approaching a wall, the figure reached out and flipped a switch. The lights came on, revealing a tall, thin lioness in a rain-soaked, bloodstained blouse and slacks. She turned to face the couch, where an equally waterlogged rabbit and fox now lay on the cushions.

The rabbit sat bolt upright, droplets of water flying off her upright ears, blinking the spots from her eyes. When the fox next to her whimpered, her head whipped in his direction, flinging about more tiny droplets. Seeing her companion curled up on his side, clutching at his ruined shoulder, she cried, "Nick!"

As the bunny scrambled over to kneel next to the ailing fox, the lioness sauntered toward them. As she sat on the table facing them, Judy's head whipped in  _her_ direction, a glare on her little bunny face.

"You didn't have to be so rough with him!" she rebuked the smirking feline. "He's really hurt!"

"Oh, get over it," Ms. Hertz chided, leaning back on her arms. "He'll be fine. Look," she nodded at the wound. "The bleeding's already stopped."

Judy turned to look, a denial on her lips, but paused when she took in the wound. The constant downpour of the Rainforest District had washed most of the blood away, leaving behind just the huge area of torn flesh. It was terrible, to be sure, but the fox's life blood wasn't obviously spilling away.

After a more thorough examination, Judy leaned back with a shocked expression. "How…?"

"You really  _don't_ know anything," Ms. Hertz interjected, sounding like she could scarcely believe the statement.

Judy turned to look at her, brows brought together in annoyed confusion. "What do you mean?"

The lioness looked briefly contemplative as she considered whether or not to explain herself. Then she shook her head. "I'm too tired for this." So saying, she leaned forward and stood.

When she was standing, she looked down to find Judy was leaning over Nick, shielding him with her body while she stared warily up at the lioness.

The big cat smirked, amused. "Oh, don't worry. I won't hurt either of you, as long as you follow the rules."

Never taking her eyes off the stranger that had taken them, Judy briefly considered her words. Slowly, she asked, "What are the rules?"

"I'm glad you asked," Hertz replied, smiling dangerously. "Rule One: Don't bother me. I'm not your friend and I don't like you. You'll take what I give you and whether you're happy with that isn't my problem. Rule Two, and I hope you're listening: Never. Leave. The room." The lioness dropped her smile and any pretense of civility to glare murderously down at Judy. "Don't even go near the door or windows. If I  _ever_  have to chase you down again, it'll be the  _last_ time. Understand?"

Judy huddled a little closer to Nick, but nodded her assent.

"Good." Ms. Hertz allowed her expression to relax. Then she looked down at her ruined outfit and huffed. "I'm taking a shower and going to bed. Don't do anything stupid."

Judy watched as the dangerous feline walked through a door and disappeared. Once the big cat was out of sight, the bunny looked down and was surprised to find Nick looking up at her out of the corner of his eye. She did her best to smile for him and moved her paw from his shoulder to lay it on his undamaged cheek. "Hey."

"H-h-hey." It was shaky and raspy, but it was real.

Some of the tension drained out of Judy as she confirmed the fox was at least aware, her ears relaxing and falling to rest against her back. Her smile even reflected her relief, softening and becoming more genuine. She began to tenderly rub the fur beneath her digits. "How are you doing?"

He turned his eye away and frowned before admitting, "It h-hurts. It hurts  _so bad_ , Carrots."

A concerned frown replaced her smile. Pain was an obvious response, but Judy had been hoping the Symbiote or whatever it was called would have helped. Maybe it was, Nick was awfully cogent for a mammal with such a debilitating wound.

"But…" The fox speaking again broke Judy from her contemplation. He turned to look up at her again and offered her a trembling, pained, bloodstained, yet somehow still genuine, smile. "I think I'm getting used to it."

* * *

When Judy's sensitive ears heard the spray of water signaling that Ms. Hertz was in the shower, she left Nick on the couch to see if she could scrounge up something to bandage and disinfect his wounds (and maybe something to wear. Their clothes were completely trashed).

Surprisingly, she hit paydirt almost immediately. While exploring the kitchenette (which was really just a counter behind the couch with a built in mini-fridge, microwave and sink), she spotted five fairly large bottles (even for a lioness) sitting in a row on the counter, filled with some kind of clear spirit with a name written in bold green across the labels that Judy didn't think she could pronounce. With a paw towel hanging from the oven door, she had everything she needed for a quick disinfection.

* * *

Ms. Hertz strode into the living room a few minutes later, wearing a bathrobe and rubbing the water out of her ears with a thick towel. The robe cut off mid-thigh and her damp fur laid flat on her skin, putting her long, toned legs on display.

What she saw made her pause. Nick sat on the edge of the coffee table, shirtless, paws on his knees, his artificially whitened fur still damp and streaked with filth. His grievous injuries, both old and new, were on display. Ms. Hertz stared at the faintly shining, pulsing orb suspended in his chest, fascinated.

For all of five seconds. Then the interest faded and she began to look around again. Seeing the fox's organs at work was mildly interesting, but it wasn't anything she hadn't seen before. She knew what mammals looked like on the inside.

Judy stood behind the fox, one paw on his good shoulder and a bloody washcloth in the other.

Moving her toweling from her ears to her neck, Ms. Hertz watched with clinical detachment as the doe pressed the rag to the tod's injured shoulder. As Nick spasmed and gasped at the sheer pain this caused, the lioness' eyes began to wander, already bored with the scene before her.

On the other end of the coffee table was a pile of bloody rags that used to be Nick's missing shirt and a large,  _familiar_ glass bottle. Brow wrinkling, she draped her towel over her shoulders and made a line for it, crossing the living room in three long strides. Snatching the bottle up by the neck, she examined it. Sure enough, it was a bottle of her favorite drink. What's more, it had been opened and the lip was smeared with red.

Glaring now, she turned her attention back to her guests. She found them looking warily back at her. Judy was fully turned to face her, the bloody, alcohol soaked washcloth hanging from one paw, and Nick was twisting his torso so he wouldn't have to turn his neck.

Holding the bottle aloft, she asked, "What the  _hell_  are you doing with my Rekty?" She shook the bottle for effect, not caring a bit when some of the spirit splashed out and wetted her paw.

Seeing and hearing the undisguised hostility pouring from the lioness, Judy carefully stepped to the side, putting herself squarely in front of Nick. "I had to clean his wounds. You said not to bother you," she tersely explained.

"I did say that, didn't I?" Ms. Hertz allowed through gritted teeth. "Well, new rule:  _Don't touch my_ _fucking_   _stash,_ " she hissed, ears back and eyes slit.

After slamming the bottle down on the table so hard it was a wonder it didn't shatter, she moved forward with startling speed. Even though they instinctively scrambled back, it wasn't a second before Ms. Hertz had each of them by the scruff.

Ignoring the cries of outrage and discomfort, the lioness rapidly marched through the hotel room to the bathroom. Tossing them inside, she slammed the door shut without another word. Then she took a key from a pocket on her bathrobe, locked the door, slipped the key back into her pocket and walked away.

* * *

In the bathroom, Judy managed to land on all fours, but Nick wasn't so lucky, pretty much face planting on the tile, losing his breath with an, "Oof!"

As he curled up and wheezed, Judy was immediately by his side. As she rubbed his shoulder and patted his back, she glanced around, taking in her new environment. It was a perfectly normal bathroom, scaled for use by a big cat, including sink, toilet, bathtub and linen closet.

Seeing nothing threatening, she turned back to Nick and helped him sit up. Then she stood behind him, silently supporting him with a paw on his shoulder while the fox got his breath back. After a few long moments, he was merely breathing heavy.

When Nick suddenly clasped his large paw over her small one, he had her undivided attention. "Carrots, I have to admit something," he said, glancing over his shoulder to meet her gaze before turning away, ducking his head guiltily. "I don't know what to do. Not even an  _idea._  It's just everything- it's all too  _big._  We can't trust anyone and there's nowhere to go and- and-"

His rambling cut off as Judy pressed against him, draping herself over his good shoulder and pressing her face against his neck. Green eyes wide, he stared forward, stunned by the simple show of comfort and affection.

"Hey, it's alright," she muttered into his thick ruff. "I know exactly what to do."

He twitched as she reached up and began to tenderly stroke the back of his head. He swallowed and asked, "You do?"

"Mmhm," she hummed, the vibration passing into his neck and making him twitch again. "We're going to get cleaned up."

There was a moment of silence as Nick waited for her to continue, but when it seemed she was content to just keep stroking his fur, he prodded, "And then?"

"I don't know," she said, speaking as though it was the most obvious answer any mammal could think of.

Nick closed his eyes resignedly, the corners of his lips twitching upwards as he failed to fight off a smile. "That's not much of a plan, Carrots."

"I know," Judy freely admitted, adjusting her position so she wasn't speaking directly into his fur, but keeping her head pressed against his neck. The new position let her look at where his paw still rested over hers. A quick adjustment had her digits wrapped around his thumb. "But our plans keep blowing up. Show the Chief the symbiote? Failed. Stay at the Last Resort? Failed. Get fake IDs? Failed. I think the best plan right now is no plan. Let's just take things as they come."

It was almost instinctive, the breath Nick took in to argue the point, but then he just blew it out again. "I like that plan," he sighed out instead, rolling his head to rest it atop hers.

They stayed like that a long time, content.

Feeling her eyes grow heavy, Judy pulled away from his comfortable warmth, surprised at how close she was to drifting off.

Feeling her slip away, Nick turned his head and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "What's wrong, Carrots?"

"Nothing," she said, giving herself a little shake of the head to clear away the drowsy feeling. "We're in a  _real_  bathroom. If there's a chance for a hot shower, I'm taking it." Stepping away from Nick, she hopped up on the lip of the tub and leaned forward to fiddle with the shower controls.

"You look tired. It's alright to rest, you know. We can get cleaned up later," Nick halfheartedly protested as water began to spray from the shower head.

"Nope. We're getting cleaned up now," Judy said as she reached out to feel the water with her paw. She was pleased to discover it was already warm, rapidly approaching hot.

Green eyes stared at Judy's back, concerned. "Carrots, c'mon-"

"No, Nick!" Judy snapped, whirling to glare at him. When he just stared back, confused and a little hurt, her expression softened. Hopping down from the lip of the tub, she stepped next to him and lowered her head to his shoulder, ears drooping down on either side of his torso.

It was quiet for a few seconds, during which Nick silently watched her, wondering at her behavior.

When she spoke again, her voice was soft, and maybe a little vulnerable. "When I woke up in the limo, after the accident… Koslov's arm was on my lap. Only, it wasn't  _his_  arm, anymore."

It took a second for Nick to figure out what she meant. Then he winced, his eyes sliding closed, self-demeaning thoughts showing clearly across his face, if only Judy had looked up.

"I  _need_  a shower," she continued instead, still resting her forehead on his warm fur.

Opening his eyes again, Nick laid a soft, sympathetic gaze on her. "Let's get cleaned up."

Nodding her agreement, Judy stood to her full height, looked him straight in the eye and asked, "Do I need to help you get your pants off?"

Leveling his flattest look at her, Nick asked back, "Excuse me?"

Getting stripped down by an overly concerned rabbit doe was very awkward for Nick, though if you looked at Judy you'd think it was an everyday event. Then she helped him over the lip of the tub.

The fox sat under the hot spray, hissing at the burning, throbbing sensation caused by the water running over his fresh wounds. However, it was only a few moments before that died down to something he could ignore, or at least withstand, then the feeling of the hot water running through his fur kicked in. After a week of cold showers, it was heavenly.

As soon as he let out a relieved sigh, something landed behind him, interrupting his relaxation. Turning to look, his eyes widened and his body stiffened before he turned to face forward again. Shock was evident in his voice as he said, "That was a naked rabbit."

Indeed, it was. Judy stood behind him, naked as the day she was born. She leveled an amused smile at the back of his head before turning to grab the shampoo off the little shelf. Stepping up to his back, she held the bottle aloft. "Give me your paw."

"Listen, Carrots, I'm flattered, but this is just too fast. A fox wants to be romanced, ya know?" Nick said, ducking his head and curling his tail around to cover his lap.

The doe rolled her eyes and poked him in the back of the head just hard enough to be uncomfortable. "I'm not coming on to you, I'm trying to give you some soap. Now, quit being weird and give me your paw!"

Nick began to turn to look at her, paused, thought better of it, turned forward and silently held his good paw over his shoulder. Judy squeezed a generous dollop of shampoo into his palm, then into her own, before placing the bottle on the lip of the tub.

While Nick got busy cleaning his front, Judy had a moment of hesitation. "...Hey, Nick? How do you, uh, clean your…" Staring at the huge exit wound in his back and the alien looking sphere suspended in his chest, she floundered for a way to describe it without sounding insensitive.

"I think of it as the 'back hole'," Nick said, sensing what she was hung up on. "It's okay to touch inside, but  _no claws._  Scratches in there hurt." These were facts that he had learned while grooming himself over the past week.

Judy grimaced, her nose wrinkling in disgust. "That sounded  _gross._ "

"Hey, you wanted to help," Nick reminded her while he lifted his injured arm just high enough to scrub at the fur underneath, wincing at the painful pulling in his shoulder it caused.

With a roll of her eyes and an annoyed mutter, the bunny got to work scrubbing his back. As she approached where his flesh just  _ended,_  she very carefully cleaned around the edge with as little contact with the exposed muscle and bone as possible.

It was quiet as they worked, both of them a little too tired to greet this very strange and intimate moment they were sharing with the amount of sass it would have otherwise received.

Until Judy reached his tail. When she grabbed the base, a noticeable shudder went up Nick's back and he yelped. Reaching back with his good arm, he swatted away her paws. Feeling her confused gaze on his back, he muttered, "Don't- uh, just- Let me do it."

Judy stared for a second, then wordlessly got back to work.

Having worked down his side from his good shoulder to his tail, she now worked up the other side toward his injured shoulder. Feeling him tense up as she got close to the damaged flesh, she paused and considered. After a few seconds she decided to just lay out her thoughts. "Nick, we have to finish cleaning this wound."

"Do we, though?" Nick asked, using petulance to cover up how scared he actually was of the pain scrubbing the wound would cause. "The Symbio-whatever's kept me healthy so far."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything we can to help. We don't know how far it can go," she reasoned.

Nick gave a miserable sigh, conceding the point. "Fine. Do it."

"Alright," Judy said, turning to grab a washcloth off the same shelf she found the shampoo bottle on. Then she poured on a little shampoo, lathered it up and pressed it to his ragged flesh before she could lose her nerve.

Pain struck through Nick like a bolt, his muscles seizing and forcing a strangled gasp through his lips.

Then Judy started to move the cloth.

* * *

After listening to Nick's agonized gasps and whines, Judy was emotionally drained on top of being physically exhausted. So, after quickly scrubbing herself down, she turned off the water and helped the fox out of the tub.

Nick didn't even try to stand, sitting heavily on the floor mat by the tub. He lowered his eyes so he wouldn't stare at Judy's tail as she quickly stepped over to the linen closet, grabbed the stack of six oversized towels and brought them back.

Dumping them on the floor, she grabbed one off the top of the pile and threw it over Nick's lap, which he was grateful for. Then she snatched up another towel and stepped behind him to pat down his back. Then she used the same towel to rapidly scrub at her own fur, spending as much time as she could stand getting dry before throwing the damp cloth to the side and grabbing a fresh one from the messy pile she made.

The oversized towels were big enough for her to use as a blanket, so that's exactly what she used them for. Guiding Nick to lay down on the mat, she threw a couple towels over him, which was just enough to cover him from the shoulders down. Then she grabbed another towel, wrapped it around herself and laid beside him, burrowing into his side. So eager was she for the day to be over that she didn't even consider turning out the lights or doing anything else to make their bizarre sleeping arrangement more comfortable.

Nick, sensing her mood, meekly let himself be handled. In his own way, he was just as eager as she was for the whole experience to end, so he let her do what she wanted rather than resist and possibly drag things out.

Once the two were settled, Judy quickly drifted off. Once she was asleep, Nick quietly pulled his good arm out from under the towels and wrapped it around her, drawing her that little bit closer. Then he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, because it was better than staring at the fluorescent lights.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry for missing two weeks of updates. I had a huge influx of hours at work, which was great for the paycheck but murder on my hobby time. I'll try to return to my usual "every Friday evening" schedule as quickly as possible.

I would like to thank the invaluable DrummerMax64 for editing this chapter on short notice. After my being off the grid for so long it would have been perfectly reasonable for him to have moved on, but he was there when I needed him and I can't thank him enough for that.

A whole world of thanks to Starfang's Secrets for continuously contacting me and keeping me involved in the fandom even while I couldn't really participate. Her constant encouragement bolstered me to finish this as quickly as I could and I probably would have missed this week's update as well if wasn't for her.

P.S. Electric Eldritch Eidolon has been featured on the Zootopian News Network! Can you believe it?!


	31. A Little Clarity

_Click!_

Two sets of ears perked as the sound of a lock turning echoed off tile. Judy sprung to a sitting position, gaze trained intently on the door. Nick was much slower to rise, propping himself up on his good arm and twisting to face the same direction.

The door swung open, revealing Ms. Hertz in tight-fitting shorts, a tank top and an anorak jacket, all done in varying shades of green. She had a plastic grocery sack hanging from each paw.

Stepping into the bathroom, the lioness raised an eyebrow at Judy. The doe stared back, guarded and wary, before she felt a slight draft ruffle her bare fur. Looking down, the doe found that the towel she had been using as a blanket had fallen to her lap. Snatching up the fabric, she held it to her chest as she turned back to glare up at her captor, ears growing warm as she dropped them down her back.

The feline casually took in the scene of the two naked animals that had obviously spent the night together. She grinned as she raised her nose into the air and took a deliberate sniff. Then she frowned as she failed to find what she expected.

Dropping her gaze, she quirked a brow at Nick. "What's the matter, foxy? Performance trouble?"

"You try getting it up after getting your shotgun wound scrubbed with soap," he groused back. "It's about as arousing as knotting a beehive."

The lioness smirked, amused. When no one had anything else to say, the room fell into an awkward divide, with Ms. Hertz on one side and Judy and Nick on the other.

Smirk slipping away, the lioness held up one of the bags. "Food," she said, before dropping it on the floor and holding up the other one. "Clothes," she said, before dropping that one by the first. "Meet me in the living room in five minutes. We need to talk."

Then she turned and exited the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind her.

* * *

Four and half minutes later, Judy and Nick wandered into the living room. The clothes they wore looked like they had been dug out of a donation box. Judy's sweatpants were an eye-wateringly bright pink and splotched with a few flecks of white paint. They were also not designed with rabbits in mind, being too tight across the hips and loose and baggy around her shins. The collar of her too-large yellow t-shirt drooped, exposing one shoulder and revealing she didn't have anything on underneath.

Nick hadn't fared much better. His grey sweatpants were so large that he was forced to tie a knot in the waist to keep them up, while his tatty wife beater was so small and see through it might as well not have been there at all. It certainly didn't hide his injuries or the glowing orb in his chest.

Speaking of injuries, his shoulder was already noticeably improved. The exposed flesh was less ragged, and bone was no longer visible anywhere. A few strands of fur, colored his natural red, were starting to appear around the edges. Even though it was better, moving it still caused intense pain, encouraging Nick to keep his arm tucked up against his ribs.

Ms. Hertz frowned at them from her place on the couch. Judy frowned right back, paws balled on her hips, while behind her Nick kept his expression carefully neutral.

The lioness ignored the hostility sent her way to gesture at the other end of the couch. "Sit down."

Judy continued to stand and glare, defiant, but Nick started to move toward the indicated seat. He nudged the doe as he passed. "C'mon, Carrots."

Judy reluctantly followed him to the couch. Nick crawled up first and settled with his back against the armrest, legs sprawled out on the cushion. Judy jumped up after and settled down next to him, legs crossed and back ramrod straight. She was obviously still very wary of the lioness in front of her, if the way she looked ready to spring away was any indication.

Seeing her audience was ready, Ms. Hertz didn't waste any time. "I'm going to say a word, then I want you to tell me if you've ever heard of it:  _Eidolon._ " She stared at them intently, watching their reactions.

The pair stared back, clueless, before glancing at eachother, then back to her.

"I've never heard of that," Judy admitted.

"Ditto," Nick agreed.

Ms. Hertz looked like that was the answer she was expecting. "What about 'Gmork'?"

"He's the  _big, bad wolf,_  right? The one that's after whatever  _this_  is," Nick said with a vague wave of his paw over his chest.

"Well, at least you know  _something,_ " the lioness said, a touch sarcastically. "How about  _S.I.L.E.N.C.E?_ "

"Strategic Internal Logistics and Enforcement, Non-Civil Extension," Judy rattled off, sounding very much like a kit reciting answers before a test.

The twitch of a brow tightening in confusion, followed by a fractional widening of the eyes. It passed by in a fraction of a second, then her face relaxed into its seemingly default disdainful nonchalance, but Nick caught it all the same. "I guess you know a little after all-"

"Hang on, put a tack in whatever boat ride of bullshittery you were just about to embark on," he interrupted. When he had the attention of both ladies on him, he continued, pointing a finger at Ms. Hertz, "You didn't know what  _S.I.L.E.N.C.E_ stood for. You didn't have a clue until Carrots said it just now," he declared with some authority.

Judy turned to face the lioness, both eyebrows up. She didn't have anywhere the same ability in reading mammals that Nick had, his having been developed over years of hustling on the streets, but it only took her a second to read the displeased expression the lioness wore for her to confirm his conclusion. "He's right. You didn't know."

Like most cats, Ms. Hertz didn't embarrass easily. She wiped the expression from her face and regarded them coolly. "I was surprised, is all. That information is hard to come by."

Nick crossed his arms and grinned smugly at her. "Don't get all flustered now, kitten-"

"Don't. Call me.  _Kitten_ ," the big cat interrupted. If her gaze was cool before, it was positively frigid as it rested on Nick now.

The fox wisely shut his trap and lowered his eyes, submitting before what he suddenly remembered was a much larger predator. As the lioness continued to lay her chilling gaze on the fox, Judy sensed the threat in the air and shifted a little closer to Nick, to more easily get between the two, if it became necessary.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable quiet, Ms. Hertz continued, ice in her voice. "Tell me what you know about Aphos."

Judy spoke quickly, so Nick wouldn't have the chance to put his foot in his mouth again. "We don't know anything about that."

The lioness watched them both intently, searching for any sign they were holding something back. After a moment, she decided they were telling the truth. "You know a little. I'll tell you some more. Don't bother asking questions. I don't trust either of you, so I'll tell you what I think you need to know and  _nothing else._  Get it?"

When she paused, clearly waiting for their response, the duo nodded and murmured their understanding.

"Good." Ms. Hertz nodded and leaned back, making herself more comfortable on her end of the couch.

Amber eyes zeroed in Nick. When the fox felt her gaze, he lifted his own to meet it. The lioness waved at the faint circle of light shining through his shirt. "What you have there, Mr. Wilde, is one of the oldest and most valuable commodities on this planet," and thus began her tale.

* * *

_Before civilization, before the spoken word and before they ever rose up on two legs so they could grab a rock to smash in the skulls of their enemies, mammals were nothing but dumb brutes, walking about on all fours and ruled only by their instincts._

_Then, something happened. An asteroid impact, perhaps, or a volcanic eruption, or maybe something harder to believe, like a visit from an otherworldly being. Whatever it was, it introduced something that hadn't been there before._

_Hundreds of thousands of symbiotic organisms. They spread across the globe, using large, warm-blooded, sturdy boned mammals as their prefered vessels, rather than the cold-blooded reptiles or the thin boned avians._

_Those mammals that were blessed with one of these symbiotes began to change, becoming cleverer than their peers. Competition was wiped out and replaced with ever more clever offspring. Thus, wherever the symbiotes went, rapid evolution followed. Mammals stood up on two legs, began to craft simple tools and speak. So, all mammals became intelligent and maintained equal footing, rather than one species evolving first and subjugating the rest, as would have happened otherwise._

_Mammals that held a symbiote evolved fastest of all, becoming stronger and cleverer than the rest. They soon held sway over their peers, gathering them into groups with tact or with force to act as with a unified purpose. Civilization began to form._

_And so the symbiotes named themselves_ _**Origin** _ _, for all thought and accomplishment began with them._

_Selfishness, however, would not be overcome. Mammals enhanced by an_ _**Origin** _ _began to recognize each other for what they were: Threats. Tribes began to attack other tribes, killing the_ _**Origin** _ _blessed mammals that likely led them and either killing, scattering, subjugating, or absorbing their followers. Symbiotes were quite helpless without their host, and many died before finding another. Most of the symbiotes were destroyed in this time, with over ninety percent wiped out in the chaos._

_However, something curious happened. The_ _**Origins** _ _themselves began to evolve, using whatever they came into contact with to inspire changes in themselves to increase their chances for survival. They became imbued with abilities that they would share with their hosts. Legends and myths began to form of mammals with unbelievable strength or speed, or even more fantastic abilities such as breathing fire or growing wings and taking flight._

_These stories would continue to grow, change and combine, until they had formed into the dozens and hundreds of mythos, pantheons and faiths that defined early culture._

_These proto-gods would continue to shape the world, gathering ever growing communities about them until the first recognizable nations were formed._

_However, they would discover that politics could be even more dangerous than the wild. God-kings died by the hundreds as they were stabbed in the back by jealous mammals who wanted their power for themselves. Even more fell as nation invaded nation, seeking to expand their fledgling empires._

_And so the symbiote population fell, again by about ninety percent. The remaining thousand or so began to change again, adapting to this new environment. Carrying the memories of their previously murdered hosts with them, the_ _**Origins** _ _urged caution and secrecy in their new hosts. They quietly withdrew from the public eye, and the old gods faded into obscurity, leaving only the myths and monuments behind._

_Since they could call themselves gods no longer, the hosts bitterly described themselves as ghostly copies. In the old trade language, the word most suited was_ _**Eidolons** _ _._

_But, after tasting power, many found that nothing else could satisfy. Shadow governments, secret societies and hidden organizations sprung up around the world and the fighting resumed._

_Secret wars were waged under whatever cover they could find, most often by larger conflicts that they themselves incited. As the centuries passed,_ _**Origin** _ _after_ _**Origin** _ _was destroyed, until only about a hundred remained. Not coincidentally, the political landscape of the world settled, with most major countries unknowingly hosting a few_ _**Eidolons** _ _that were pulling the strings from behind the curtain, each comfortably embedded in the center of their own web of power._

_However, there were some_ _**Eidolons** _ _that weren't happy with the way things were. A few quietly gathered power and patiently waited for the most opportune moment._

_One such_ _**Eidolon** _ _was named Aphos. His agents worked tirelessly to capture or destroy any rival that could be found. Curiously, every captured operator linked to his organization died before they could be questioned._

* * *

"How?" Judy asked, interrupting the story.

Ms. Hertz regarded the bunny coolly, her right ear flicking back the only sign of her annoyance at being interrupted. "How what?"

"How do the captured agents die?" Judy asked more clearly.

Ms. Hertz hesitated, carefully mulling over the answer. After a second or two, she said, "I'm not sure you're not an agent yourself, but I guess it won't hurt for your boss to know I know this. It's like a slug curled up against their brain stem. Think of it as a natural kill switch. If the host is captured alive, the slug explodes, scrambling their brain like an egg."

Judy blanched at the thought of having a slug in her brain. Rubbing the back of her head, she pondered aloud, "I wonder if they can feel it?"

* * *

As the first twelve hour stretch came to an end, Gmork's head shot up from Ruby's lap as he regained something close to reason. Lunging upward, one paw flew over her shoulders while the other gripped the back of her neck. Pulling her down, he pressed his face to hers, golden eyes bloodshot and manic as they looked into her tear-stained browns.

"The gun!" he gasped, feeling like his vocal cords were torn to shreds. "Get rid of-aaaAAHH!"

He collapsed as every muscle in his body began to spasm, his paws tearing out tufts of Ruby's red fur as they thrashed. The wolves screamed together as Gmork's next twelve hours of constant torture began.

* * *

"I wouldn't know," Ms. Hertz said with a shrug. "I've only ever dug them out of corpses. Too late to ask them, then."

The rabbit shivered in disgust at the thought, while next to her, Nick sat and stared at the lioness, thoughtfully rubbing the side of his snout with his uninjured paw. Finally, he couldn't hold back the question that was bothering him. "Why are you telling us this… secret history of the world?"

Judy perked up, very interested in the answer. Ms. Hertz regarded the fox with gravitas. "I'm telling you because I need you to understand something: The life you knew is over. Whatever you were, whatever you did, whatever you loved: It. Is.  _Gone._ "

"That's not news to  _me,_  killer," Nick shot back. "Ever since I saw this glowing wad of snot in my chest, I pretty much figured it was over for me."

Next to him, Judy's gaze fell to her lap, ears falling down to cover her eyes.

"What I want to know is why  _you_ are telling  _us,_ " the fox continued, too caught up to notice the rabbit's strange behavior, "this conspiracy theorist's wet dream. Why does it matter?"

"It's so you won't get any stupid ideas," the lioness stated frankly. "You need to know how powerful your enemies are and how badly they want you. If you escape from here, it will only be a few days at most before they have you. I have decades of experience dodging and fighting Aphos and his goons. I'm the only mammal that can keep you alive.

"There's also the other thing to consider," she continued.

Nick watched her warily, knowing that he wouldn't like the answer but unable to not ask the question, "What other thing?"

"That I  _have_ survived decades of being hunted and I didn't get this far by being  _weighed down._ " Ms. Hertz glared down at him, her face deadly serious. "I saved you because I think of you as an investment. When it comes to fighting Eidolons, they're really isn't anything better than another Eidolon. But, if you become a  _liability,_ " she leaned forward, eyes sparkling with malice, "I will dice you into cubes like an onion, take your Origin and give it to someone who can be  _useful._  And if you think I won't, I want you to think about something: I was the one carrying it that night on the pier. How did I get the Origin, Mr. Wilde?" Leaving him with that sobering thought, the lioness stood and disappeared into the bedroom.

As the click of the lock echoed through the small living room, Nick put his paws over his eyes and took a slightly shaky breath. "You know, I miss the days when I was just a conniving confox. At least then my life wasn't threatened on a  _daily_  basis. It was more like once a week. Twice at most."

When the expected reaction from his companion failed to form, he dropped his paws to his lap so he could shoot her a curious look. He was alarmed to see her head ducked, shoulders shaking. "Carrots? Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he reached over to touch her back. As his fingertip made contact, he was a little startled when she spun to face him.

Lovely amethysts wet with tears and expression screwed up in emotional agony, distress seemed to radiate from her like heat off a stove. "'Whatever you love is gone.' That's what she said. My family- you don't think she meant my family would be  _gone,_  right? They're not going to hurt my family, are they?"

It was like his arms had a mind of their own, the way they automatically jumped up to draw her into a comforting hug. "Oh, Carrots, no. They'll be fine. No one is going to hurt your family," he assured her. Something inside shifted uncomfortably as he said the words, probably because he didn't really believe them. But he ignored that so he could focus fully on comforting her, using his good arm to hold her close while his injured arm stroked her ears down her back, even though his injured shoulder and neck protested every movement. Right then, it didn't seem to matter.

Even his tail wrapped around to cover the legs that were now sprawled out behind her as she gave herself fully to his embrace, reaching her arms as far as they would go around his chest and burying her face into his good shoulder, hiding her sniffles in his thick fur.

Then the bedroom door opened. Rather than push her away, Nick drew Judy even tighter against him as Ms. Hertz walked out, still wearing her variously green shorts, tank top and anorak jacket. But now she carried a very simple, black purse. She looked just like any other mammal and nothing like the dangerous killer that she was as she headed for the door leading out of the hotel room.

Pausing by the couch, she rolled her eyes as she saw their embrace. "Don't knot her. I'm not going to be gone long, and when I get back we are going to figure out whether or not you're a liability. You better be ready!" As she spoke, she headed for the door, shouting out the last part just as she pulled it shut behind her.

Nick watched the handle, ears twitching as he heard it lock from the outside. Letting out a little sigh, he laid his cheek on Judy's head. "Ya' know, I don't think I like her very much," he muttered crossly.

Judy nodded her agreement. "Me, neither."

* * *

Author's Note: I finished writing this like, an hour ago. All praise the amazing DrummerMax64 for taking the time to get this edited on very little notice. Seriously, all of you ought to message him and tell him he's amazing. You would just be speaking the truth.

Another little shout out to Starfang's Secrets. Seriously, everyone needs to drop by her page and check out her work. Embrace It is wrapping up, and it's going to be a  _helluva_ show!

P.S. DrummerMax64 is writing now and should be coming out with his first story very soon. Everyone should go to his page right now and put him on your alert lists, so you don't miss a thing!


	32. One Step Forward

Ms. Hertz had been telling the truth when she said she wouldn't be long. She returned within the hour, bearing clothes that actually fit them. Turns out what she brought before had been dug out of the downstairs bar's lost and found.

The new clothes were dark and very plain. They included baseball caps and waterproof hoodies, which was perfectly normal to see in the Rainforest District due to the constant precipitation. After Nick and Judy changed, Ms. Hertz marched them out the door, which they were thankful for, because it sure beat being carried around by their scruffs, as the lioness seemed prone to do.

With their various ears and tails tucked into their clothes, the trio took a back door out of the hotel/bar and walked down the street through the pouring rain, heads ducked down. Ms. Hertz walked at the back of the group to keep an eye on the other two, issuing directions as they went.

As they approached  _The Lucky Fox's Hotel and Casino,_ Judy couldn't help quirking a brow up at the massive, barely-not-indecent pink neon caricature plastered across the front of the building. Next to her, Nick shifted uneasily, a discomforting familiarity with the place passing over his face.

Their captor hissed at them and the two ducked their heads again. Walking to the back of the building, they passed through some kind of employee entrance, one that required a key card. Ms. Hertz pulled one from a jacket pocket. As she swiped it, Nick and Judy both noticed that, except for a barcode, the card was blank and featureless. The red indicator light blinked green and they stepped inside.

As they walked down a long, featureless service corridor, Nick's unusual knowledge of the city asserted itself. "The tod who runs this place is paranoid about his security. He knows we're here."

"I have an arrangement," was the curt response, her clipped tone brooking no further comment. From then on, the only sound that could be heard was the faint clicking of their claws on the concrete.

Eventually, they came to a stairwell, as dull and featureless as the hallway, and descended into the basement. There, they entered into another dull corridor, though this one ended shortly in a foreboding metal door.

Unease mounting, Nick began to slow, only for Ms. Hertz to shove him forward. "Keep moving."

Keeping the two in front of her, she reached over their heads to grab the big metal handle. Pulling the door open, she pushed them through the opening, then went through herself, pulling the door closed behind her.

To Judy, it resembled a large open shower, very similar to the one at the precinct they used when the job got messy. Rectangular in shape, the walls, ceiling and floor were covered in little beige tiles. There were coat hooks by the door, a drain in the floor, and a shower head hung from the far wall. There were even three metal lockers along the left wall.

But, the longer she looked, the stranger it seemed. There was a thick water hose coiled up on a rack on the wall to their right, and a sturdy steel table was mounted to the floor in the middle of the room. The most damning evidence were the stains. The grout and tile were discolored, puddled on the floor with splattered walls and ceiling.

"What is this place?" she asked.

Behind her, Ms. Hertz shoved a steel bar into place with a clang, locking the door and causing her two captives to flinch. When Judy turned to face her, the lioness showed off her fangs with a smirk. "Why don't you ask your friend?  _He_ seems to know."

As the big cat pulled off her jacket and hung it on the hook by the door, the rabbit turned to face her companion. She was surprised to find the fox was staring at the floor, trembling. Alarmed, she placed a comforting paw on his elbow. "Nick? What's wrong?"

"This is where the security goons beat and torture cheaters and thieves," he explained. "They do it here so casino staff doesn't get caught doing it in an alley somewhere."

"That's right," Ms. Hertz said as she sauntered past them. "Soundproofed, too. So the screaming doesn't bother the guests."

Judy looked from Nick to Ms. Hertz and back again, hoping against hope that one of them would smile and say it was just a joke. Nick looked terrified, while Ms. Hertz' smile was anything but joking  _or_ friendly.

"What are you going to do us?!" the rabbit demanded, stepping in front of Nick. Ears springing up as she tore the baseball cap from her head and threw it down, she dropped into the boxing stance she learned at the Academy.

Ms. Hertz looked supremely unbothered by the show of aggression. Smiling, she walked around the table, reaching out one paw to tap it as she moved. The  _click-click-click_ of her claws on the steel seemed to fill the room.

"I'm going to beat and torture you, of course," she said, as though it were obvious. "But," she continued before Judy could, "with purpose. One you'll thank me for."

"Why would we thank you?!" Judy spat back.

"Because it's necessary," the feline said as she completed a circuit around the table. She leaned back, half sitting on the edge with her paws resting flat on the top. " _Origins_  are only interested in one thing: survival. If you want to learn to control it, you need to feel like your life is in danger. Lucky for you," she smiled a little wider, "I'm an  _expert_."

"There's no way-!" A paw coming down on her shoulder stopped Judy's fierce denial short. She turned to look over her shoulder in confusion.

Nick stood behind her, looking deadly serious. "If I do this, I'll be able to fight Gmork and Aphos?"

Judy's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. "Nick, no-"

"That's right," Ms. Hertz assured, tail flicking in delight.

He didn't hesitate. "I'll do it."

"Wait, stop!" Judy spread her arms out in front of Nick, doing her best to block him from moving forward. "You can't let her  _torture_ you!"

The fox swept his own hat back and dropped to his knees before her. The look on his face was soft, but the intensity in his eyes nearly took her breath away. "Judy, you have given up everything for me. Your job; your family; your  _dream._ "

" _I_ did that. I  _chose_ to do that," she protested.

"And now I choose to do this. If I beat Aphos, I can give you your life back." He put his paws on her shoulders and gently pressed her arms down to hang by her sides. "Let me do right by you."

There were angry tears beginning to gather in the corner of her eyes. "Don't give me that macho fertilizer. You don't need to protect me."

His gaze slid past her to lay on the killer waiting by the table. The lioness smiled back at him. As green eyes stared into dangerous ambers, he said, "Yes, I do."

He turned back to her and squeezed her shoulders. "You fought for me when no one else would. It's my turn.  _I'm_ going to fight for  _you_."

"You don't have to do this," she told him, her ears falling down her back.

"You asked me once to let you try. Do you remember that?"

Judy looked stricken. When this madness had started, Nick had begged to let him whisk her away to safety, but she had insisted on staying. Her voice trembled as she said, "I remember."

He looked at her then, beseeching her with his eyes. "Let me try?"

There was a long silence as Judy struggled with her response. Tears began to spill down her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. Eventually, she nodded her assent, since she didn't think she could talk past the lump in her throat.

Even though she couldn't see it, Nick nodded back. "Thank you."

Then he stood, squared his shoulders, and stepped past her.

"So, how do we do this?" Nick asked as he approached Ms. Hertz.

"Oh, it's simple." The lioness smiled wide, showing off her pearly fangs. "Survive."

It might have been stars or the overhead lights reflecting off the droplets of blood and spittle Nick saw when her tightly balled fist crashed into his jaw.

The fox hit the ground flat on his back, ears ringing and the copperish tang of blood filling his mouth. Ms. Hertz stood over him, paws on her hips and a slight frown on her face. "Wow. You suck at surviving." Seeing his bewildered expression, the frown deepened slightly. She cocked her head slightly, one rounded ear twitching thoughtfully. "Guess we'll try again."

Her kick lifted him off the ground and propelled him across the room to crash into a tiled wall. He fell to the ground and lay there in a boneless heap, eyes wide but sightless, too stunned to even think, much less react.

Then Ms. Hertz was on him again. Fisting both paws in his jacket collar, she hoisted him into the air and slammed him against the wall. Far from looking malevolent or fierce, her expression read mildly irritated and a little bored. "I don't think you're taking this seriously," she said plainly.

The pain from the multiple blows was kicking in, starting as a sharp throb in his cheek and spreading down through his torso. It still didn't prepare him for her dropping him down while her leg came up, burying her knee in his gut.

A choking, agonized yelp left him, along with any air that might have been in his lungs. Blood and spittle splattered across the floor.

When the lioness threw him up against the wall again, her expression hadn't changed much. "When I grabbed you off the street, you tried to kill me. You  _wanted_  to kill me. What changed?"

All Nick could do was hack and wheeze, desperate to breathe.

"Maybe," she continued, her eyes wandering down his face to his cheek and neck, where a great deal of fur was still missing, evidence of his still healing shotgun wound. "You need more…" Holding him up with one paw, she brought her other one back, muscles coiling like a spring. "...stimulation."

Her fist rocketed forward, burying itself nearly to the wrist in his gut. Nick's jaws opened in a silent scream, his eyes rolled back until only the whites could be seen.

Spinning around, the big cat yanked the insensate fox from the wall, only to slam him down on the metal table mounted to the center of the room. Pinning him with one paw, she fisted the other over her head and brought it down across his face. As his snout snapped to the side, blood splattered across the table.

"What's it going to take for you- The  _hell!?_ " The lioness cursed as something crashed into the back of her knees. Another mammal might have been toppled over, but the lioness merely swayed as she instantly stiffened her legs and regained her balance. Jerking her head around, she looked down to see Judy hopping up from where she fell after her attempt to knock the lioness down.

Seeming to not care about her failed attack, the rabbit glared up at the murderous feline. "That's  _enough!_  No more!"

Ms. Hertz narrowed her eyes down at the interloper. " _I_  say when it's enough."

"Well, now I'm saying it! Don't hurt him anymore!" Judy yelled back, paws fisted at her sides, eyes locked onto Ms. Hertz' own, seemingly fearless before a much larger predator.

The lioness arched a finely plucked eyebrow, a bit of intrigue mixing in with her annoyance. "Oh? Does the  _rodent_  think she can stop me?"

Rather than back down, Judy fell back into her boxing stance, glaring determinedly up at Nick's tormenter. "Rabbits aren't rodents and  _yes, I do._ "

Deep down, in some forgotten corner of her soul, Ms. Hertz was impressed with the bunny's grit. However, the rest of her was offended that something so small thought it could fight  _her_ ,  _the Red Thread Eidolon._

It was subtle, the change that came over the lioness. Her expression cooled ever so slightly and the way her muscles tensed was hardly noticeable. In spite of this, a threatening aura of violence settled around her like a fog.

"I think it's time the  _toy_  learned her place," she hissed. She released her grip on Nick and began to step towards Judy, but then something grabbed  _her._ Snapping her gaze over, she found Nick had one paw wrapped tightly around her wrist. Fur began to stand on end as the air crackled with gathering electrical charge.

The fox coughed, blood leaking from both sides of his mouth to stain his face and neck crimson. Then he turned his head to look at her. "If you hurt her," he wheezed, eyes glittering with something close to malice. His right eye, which had been close to healing from yesterday's accident, was once again stained red, enhancing the effect. "I'll kill you."

Ms. Hertz scoffed. "Well, you are an Eidolon, after all." Her free paw snapped out and struck him across the face while she snatched her captive arm out of his grip. Just in time, apparently, as she watched thick strands of plasma dance between his fingers. Barely a second passed before they were gone, but it left the lioness smiling. "That's today's lesson. Mr. Wilde, I want you to think about-" Nick turned away from her, rolling onto his side and pulling himself into a loose fetal position. Smile disappearing, the lioness pressed on, "-what happened. Focus on what you felt,  _how you felt,_  when you used the Origin. It's very much like a limb you've never used before. You're going to have to learn to use it as naturally as your arms or legs if you ever want to master it."

When Judy jumped onto the table, the lioness turned her gaze to the doe. "I'm going out for a bit. Medical supplies are in the lockers. Clean the fox up. If you leave this room, I'll know."

When Judy didn't even bother acknowledging the words, instead kneeling by Nick's shoulder to begin checking his wounds, Ms. Hertz frowned in irritation. When she had something to say, her captives were supposed to pay attention, dammit! Huffing her irritation, the big cat turned and left, the steel door slamming behind her just a little harder than necessary.

On the table, Nick let Judy roll him onto his back. The movement shifted something inside, causing him to cough painfully. Judy's eyes widened as blood sprayed from his lips and splattered her cheek. The fox winced at the sight, then threw his paws over his mouth as several more hacking coughs wracked his body. When the fit finally passed, he laid back and dropped his arms to his chest. "Sorry, Carrots…" he managed to wheeze.

With a little shake, physically and mentally, Judy pushed pastpassed the feeling of Nick's warm blood on her face to focus on him, ignoring it so completely that she didn't even bother wiping her cheek. "It's fine. How are you doing?" she asked him instead, leaning in close to check his eyes. She held up a paw, one finger extended. "Keep your head still and follow my claw with your eyes."

"What's the point of this? Pretty sure the ACB is going to take care of me." Even as he complained, the fox did as he was told, his now mismatched eyes tracking her digit as she slowly waved it back and forth.

Satisfied that he wasn't concussed, she dropped her paws to his jacket. As she worked the buttons, she asked, "ACB?"

"You know. Alien Chest Baby?" he explained.

Judy rolled her eyes as she spread his jacket open. "We're not calling it that," she told him in a no-nonsense tone as she began running her paws down his sides, checking for broken ribs.

"Why no-AW!-ot?" Nick asked, voice hitching as she touched a particularly tender spot.

"Because it's dumb and it already has a name," she explained, before leaning back with a look of slight irritation. "You don't have any broken bones, at least. Definitely some bruised ribs, though, and your jaw is starting to swell."

"'Origin' is so  _boring._  It needs a cooler name." Nick was really starting to feel the swelling she mentioned, the throbbing in his cheek growing sharper as he talked. He raised a paw to rub it but winced and pulled away when it stung at the slightest touch. "And why are you so good at first aid? I thought you wanted to be a cop, not a doctor."

"When you're considered 'the responsible one' out of hundreds of siblings, you learn a lot of first aid," she said as she leaned forward again. Taking his face into her paws, she carefully tilted his head this way and that, observing his swelling cheek with the eye of a practiced medic. "Hundreds of kits with nothing to do but play outside means a lot of scrapes and bruises."

Nick admired her as she worked: how intent her eyes were as she studied the injury, how gentle her paws were as they lay upon him. When she carefully guided his jaw open, he didn't hesitate to follow her direction, even though it hurt to open his mouth so wide.

"You bit your cheek when that witch punched you," Judy informed as she studied his maw, "that's where all this blood is coming from. I don't think you need stitches, not that we could see a doctor to get you stitched up, anyway. Close," she ordered softly with a tap on his chin.

As his jaw shut with a soft click, he winced at the pain it caused him. "Next time, I'll ask her to not hit me in the face so much," he muttered.

Long, black-tipped ears perked in his direction, while violet eyes widened in dismay. " _Next time?_ " she parroted, incredulous. "Nick, there can't be a  _next time._  She tried to kill you!"

"Please don't yell," he begged as his headache flared from the noise. "And trust me, she wasn't trying to kill me. A killer like her could have popped my head off like a gross bottle cap."

"How do you know, huh?" Judy asked pointedly, but at a much reduced volume. Her paws were fisted on her hips as she leaned over him, face fierce with disapproval. "It sure  _looked_  like she was trying to kill you."

From his place on the table, Nick shook his head in denial, but stopped when a spike of pain shot through his swelling cheek and down his neck. He closed his eyes and raised his paw to rub between his eyes as he explained, "Being a  _cop,_  you should know that if a cat wants to kill you, they  _always use their claws._  Did the  _lioness_  use her claws, Former Officer Hopps?"

The reminder of what she'd lost hurt, but it also made her review what she knew of crime statistics(which was a lot). Dropping backward, she sat cross-legged on the scratched, stained tabletop while she contemplated. To her dismay, the fox was right. In over ninety-eight percent of cases, felines convicted of murder, attempted murder, or similar crimes used their claws in some way, even if it was just to get a better grip on some other weapon. It was taught at the Academy that a cat with its claws out was a bad sign.

"Ok, maybe you're right about the 'killing you' part, but she still went way too far. You've been hurt enough as it is. I won't let her do it anymore," the rabbit declared, crossing her arms to emphasize the point.

Nick sighed wearily, before rolling his head to the side to look at her. "Carrots, you have to let her. I need her help."

The rabbit looked at him incredulously. " _Help?_  That wasn't help, it was torture! She beat you half to death and for what? How did she help you?"

"Didn't you see?" he replied, placating. "I used my power. I nearly… What happened to Raymond almost happened to her. If she didn't hit me and pull her arm back, I might have killed her."

"Really? That's helpful? You can kill mammals, but only  _after_ they nearly kill you first?"

Nick sighed again, doing his best to keep a level head, not only because he needed to be logical but because getting upset would raise his blood pressure and make his impending migraine that much worse. "No, Carrots, I don't think that's it."

"Then what is it?" she asked, leaning forward to look more closely into his eyes. "Why do you have to go through this again?"

For just a second, Nick let himself drown in amethyst. Then he forced his gaze away, rolling his head back so he faced the ceiling. "Because I'm not strong enough, bunny. I'm a weak fox and, with what's after us, that means I'm a  _dead_ fox. And you're a dead bunny."

Judy sat back, momentarily gobsmacked by his heavy words. They were hard to refute, but she still had one objection. "Why do you think being dragged into a back room and beaten to a pulp is going to make you stronger?"

"Because…" Nick raised his least damaged arm over his head and stared at his paw, fingers splayed. He remembered Ms. Hertz' parting advice:

_Think about what you felt._

He remembered how the lioness turned on Judy. He remembered how hatred and anger had burned its way through the pain until it was all he felt. He remembered grabbing the enemy that threatened his bunny and thinking  _KILL!_

As he imagined Ms. Hertz' throat gripped tight in his claws, Judy watched with astonishment and Nick with satisfaction as blue-white arcs of electricity began to crackle between his fingers and over his palm.

"It already has."

* * *

Author's Note: I would personally like to thank DrummerMax64 for taking time out of his vacation to edit this chapter and Starfang's Secrets for her continued support.

Also, sorry about missing last week's post. Work continues to eat up my time, but I'll try harder to return to the usual weekly schedule.


	33. Roofietini with a Twist

Author's Note: Due to several complaints from my editors, I feel compelled to place a warning here:

Do. Not. Google. "Merkin".

Seriously, look it up in a dictionary  _first._  Then, if you're still curious, you can Google it. But do it at your own risk.

* * *

Judy sat on the couch, watching as Nick and Ms. Hertz stood at either side of the coffee table and yelled at each other.

"The hell do you mean  _you don't sleep?_ "

"I'm sorry, I forgot we were speaking different languages. Translated phonetically from Zootopian to  _psycho_ , it means  _I. Don't. Sleep._ "

Most of the day had passed and it was proceeding towards evening when Ms. Hertz finally returned. After a quick demonstration of his newfound control over his Origin, the lioness had escorted the fox and rabbit back to the hotel room.

Then she had asked about Nick's dreams.

After spending nearly six hours in the cold, dank room where Ms. Hertz had left them, Nick was about as cross as Judy had ever seen him. In fact, the fox was toeing the line between rudeness and outright aggression.

"Don't get stupid with me,  _pelt,_ " Ms. Hertz growled, paws on her hips and ears folded back warningly. "This is important. What,  _exactly,_ " she leaned forward and stabbed an accusing finger in his direction, "do you mean you don't sleep?"

"I  _mean,_ " Nick ground out between clenched teeth, arms crossed, and tail lashing angrily, "that I have not slept for a  _single second_  since you got me killed."

The big cat let her paw drop back to her hip. Fingers on both paws tapped a rapid, rhythmic staccato as she glared thoughtfully at the fox. After a brief silence, she finally said, "It's impossible. Eidolons  _have_ to sleep."

"Well, not this one," Nick snapped at her.

"No!  _Every_ Eidolon sleeps, you whistling dipstick," Ms. Hertz snapped back. "It's how they communicate with us!"

"Who  _the he-_ "

"The  _Origins!_ " she yelled, answering Nick's question before he could finish asking it. "They talk to us with dreams! They show us their memories,  _everything_  their previous hosts knew, like  _how to use their powers!_ "

This answer put Nick back on his heels a bit. Face screwed up in a confused scowl, he asked, "I thought  _you_  were going to teach me?"

"Every Eidolon is different," she retorted. "I can teach you the basics, but I can't help you past that."

With a literal growl of frustration, Nick closed his eyes and rubbed at his temples with both paws. After the headache he'd suffered following his earlier "lesson", he'd almost rather be captured by Gmork than have another.

"Then teach me the basics," he ground out between clenched teeth, forcing his temper back with what was left of his sleep deprived force of will. "I'll figure out the rest."

"That's not good enough," the lioness replied. "It could take months for you to 'figure it out'," she snipped.

Quite suddenly, her expression shifted from angry to still-angry-but-also-thoughtful. "Have you tried anything? Drugs? Pills? Tranqs?"

Thrown by the sudden shift, the fox eyed his captor slash sponsor suspiciously. "...no, I haven't," he said slowly, already not liking the direction this was taking.

With an expression reading ' _decision made'_  as obviously as if she had a scrolling LED sign across her forehead, the lioness turned and walked out of the apartment. "Sit on the couch and wait for me," she said as she went, "I'll be back in five minutes."

As the door slammed in the background, Judy watched as Nick turned to the couch. Rather than sit, he tilted forward and lowered himself until he was lying down, feet and tail dangling off the side and face hidden in the cushion. Letting out a big sigh, he visibly deflated, ears and tail and the rest of him drooping and falling limp.

Seeing his pathetic state, she quickly crawled over. Settling by his head, the doe began to pet his ears. They perked up just a bit at her touch, but otherwise, he did not move.

After nearly a minute of companionable silence, Nick finally shifted. Turning his head, he pressed his face against her leg, forehead just below her hip and nose against the side of her knee. His eyes slowly opened, but they remained unfocused and distant.

"Things are about to get worse…" he said, morose.

Having lifted her paws in surprise at his unusual affection, Judy quickly resumed her petting. "How?" she asked softly.

"I'm tired, Carrots. I can't tell you just  _how_  tired. I'd tear off  _a limb_  if it'd get me eight hours sleep. But, using pills…" He raised one arm from his side and laid a paw over her knee. He squeezed it gently as he pushed his head up against her thigh, eyes closed and ears held back against his skull. "It makes me feel sick thinking about it. Like...something's wrong…"

Witnessing his distress made her chest ache, but she didn't know what to do. Showing off some of her impressive flexibility, she folded at the waist to drape herself over his head. Hugging him as best she could, she pressed her face into his nape. "It'll be alright," she promised into his thick fur, and really, she tried to mean it, but after everything that had happened, she wasn't so sure anymore.

* * *

Ms. Hertz returned shortly. Stopping by the kitchenette, she grabbed one of the big liquor bottles, a shot glass and a stirring straw.

As she rounded the couch, Judy and Nick uncoiled to watch her, with Judy sitting up straight while Nick slipped off the couch to stand.

The shot glass landed on the glass coffee table with a loud  _clink!_ Then Ms. Hertz twisted the cap off the liquor and poured it out, filling the glass to about two thirds full. Then she raised the bottle to her lips and took a long pull before capping it and placing it on the table.

Then she reached into a pocket and pulled a little plastic baggy with an enormous, generic looking pill. The only unusual thing about it was its deep green color.

Judy, having read just about every police issued safety pamphlet and PSA she could get her paws on, instantly recognized it.

"That's Rhynopol!" she cried, jumping up and pointing at it like it was the most vile thing in existence. Which, in her mind, it could have been. It was called the "Date-Rape Drug", after all.

Nick looked at the pill critically, noting its size. "And that's the 'rhino' dosage. Half of that tab would probably kill me."

"Maybe, if you were a  _normal_  fox," Ms. Hertz agreed. Taking the pill in the bag between thumb and finger, she crushed it into powder. "But you're an Eidolon, now. Think of your Origin like a second liver. You have to overcome it before any kind of medication will take effect."

Opening the bag, she dumped the contents into the shot glass, then gave it a quick stir with the little black straw. Strangely, the clear liquid inside turned a deep blue, rather than green. Dropping the straw on the table, she grabbed the glass and held it out it to Nick.

"WHOA! NO! NOT HAPPENING!" Judy shouted, crossing her arms and then throwing them out in denial. "That dosage is fatal to anything under a hundred pounds! Especially when mixed with- NICK! NO!"

The fox grabbed the glass, which was more like a tumbler in the smaller predator's paw, and threw it back, downing the contents in one big gulp. Judy crashed into him an instant later, snatching the glass from his paw. She looked at in horror, noting that it was completely empty.

Tossing it to the side to land with a muffled thump on the carpet, she turned to Nick and grabbed his paw. "We have to induce vomiting!" she yelled, voice and face twisted with panic. She tried to jump from the couch to drag Nick to the bathroom, only to have his arms wrap around her mid air and drag her back and hold her tight, her back pinned to his chest.

The rabbit started kicking and shouting, clawing at the arms wrapped around her waist. " _Nick!_ Let go- agh!  _Nick!_ "

But the fox held on to the thrashing doe, determined. "Carrots, listen! Don't- hey! Ow!" Her claws, though blunt, still hurt. " _Judy! STOP!_ "

The doe froze, so Nick dove in before she could start up again. "Judy, I need you, alright? I need you right now more than ever. So,  _please,_  listen to me?"

Although panic still beat at the walls of her mind, Nick's plea managed to cut through it. The brief pause allowed her better, stronger self to take over and push back the fear. Tucking her legs in so they wouldn't dangle, she placed her paws over Nick's arms and squeezed,  _without_  using her claws. "Nick, that dose was way too high. We  _have_  to do something."

Though her tone was much calmer, her voice wavered with barely repressed hysteria. Sensing it was time to shift tactics, the fox turned and lowered her to the couch.

The instant his arms no longer caged her in, Judy spun and grabbed his shirt. "Go to the bathroom and induce vomiting. You have to do it  _right now._  The longer you wait, the worse it'll be.  _Now_ , before it's too late."

Nick sighed and grabbed her shoulders, his large paws nearly enveloping her petite torso. "Carrots, it's already too late."

"What are you  _talking about?_ " Judy asked, voice hitching with desperation as her calm facade began to crack. "You  _just_  drank it! You can go puke it up and you'll be fine! I  _know_  canids can vomit! Don't try to tell me otherwise!"

"That's not it-"

"Then  _what?!_   _Why_ won't you  _do it?_ "

"Because I don't have an esophagus," Nick bluntly stated. When Judy just stared at him in bewilderment, he lifted one paw from her shoulder and laid it over his chest and the wound hidden under his jacket. "Don't you remember what Dr. Arlea  _Not-A-Real-Doctor_ said? The Origin is the connection to my stomach, now. If it wants me to puke, I'll puke. If not…"

He trailed off, letting the thought hang in the air. Judy stared at the paw on his chest, thunderstruck as she remembered Dr. Andes' words:

" _It's replaced your esophagus as well. I suspect it's filtering any food you eat, taking anything it needs for itself before passing the rest on to you."_

"But...but…" Judy stuttered, gears grinding as she tried to process what to do in this situation through the filter of Nick's altered biology. Eventually, she got traction. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't try!" she insisted, gaze rising from his chest to his eyes. "We don't know if the Origin can handle the load. That dose was meant for a  _rhinoceros,_ Nick, a mammal a  _hundred times your weight._ "

For the first time since he took the drink, Nick looked nervous, Judy's words finally getting through. He opened his mouth to say something-

"Holy  _hell,_ rabbit!  _Shut up_!" -but was interrupted by Ms. Hertz, who had apparently had enough of the drama. The lioness stood in the kitchenette, placing the liquor and the shot glass away. The duo turned to face her, both a little shocked by her interjection. "Eidolons don't die from poison."

When they blinked at her in confusion, obviously not understanding, she decided to explain further, if just to make sure they didn't ask any idiotic questions. She leaned up against the counter and crossed her arms. "Origins are all about  _adapting._  If something threatens to overwhelm their host, they develop an immunity. And when the poison is killing the host faster than the Origin can handle, the Origin shuts the host down, bringing all metabolic processes down to a crawl until an immunity can be developed and any existing damage repaired. That goes for all pharmaceuticals, which are just poisons with a very exact dosage."

Judy deflated a bit, the wind taken out of her proverbial sails. "Oh… so an Eidolon has  _never_  died from poison?" she asked, wanting to be  _sure._

"Well…" Ms. Hertz temporized, raising one paw and tilting it back and forth in a  _more-or-less_  gesture. "Poisons have gotten Eidolons killed, it's just no Eidolon has ever died from poison." Seeing their blank expressions, she rolled her eyes and clarified. "Even if it doesn't outright kill them, it can put 'em down for a few days. Then it's  _real_   _easy_  to throw em' on a pyre or hack 'em to pieces or drop 'em in a vat of acid. So,  _Mr. Wilde,_ " she said, making deliberate eye contact with Nick, "Try not to get drugged. Just because it can't kill you doesn't mean you won't die. Understand?"

The fox nodded slowly. "I think so."

"Good."

About that time Judy turned from the lioness to collapse into Nick's chest, the panic and relief conspiring to steal her strength away. Reflexively wrapping his arms around her, Nick held her close as she buried her face in his chest and sniffled, on the edge of outright sobbing.

While he stroked Judy's long ears down her back, Nick looked over her head at Ms. Hertz for one final clarification. "So, either the roofie does its job and knocks me out, or it poisons me and the Origin knocks me out."

"Yu _p,_ " she said, lips smacking on the "p".

"No third option?"

The lioness lifted a paw to contemplatively stroke her chin. "...I'd give it about a one percent chance of something I've never seen before. After all, every Origin and every Eidolon is different."

* * *

Twenty minutes later found the trio on the couch, Nick and Judy cuddled together on one end as Ms. Hertz sat calmly at the other. Absolute silence permeated the space between the two groups as they watched each other.

 _Giant, jumping jelly beans, I wish she would blink,_  Judy thought to herself, unnerved by the lioness' almost supernaturally steady gaze.

Ms. Hertz, unconcerned with the rabbit's discomfort, kept her eyes on the fox, watching him intently for any sign the drugs were taking effect. Whatever thoughts she may have had were perfectly hidden behind her blank expression.

Nick, on the other paw, was starting to feel… funny. Sort of… tight. Like his skin was a little too small for his body.

"Hey, Carrots, let me up," he said with a pat on her thigh.

"What? Oh, sure." The rabbit shifted away, giving him room to crawl around her. Letting himself off the couch, the fox turned and started walking. When he reached one wall, he swung around and started walking in the opposite direction.

The females watched as he began to pace back and forth across the apartment. Both noted that it was contrary to what was supposed to be happening, that being unconsciousness.

"Nick? Are you feeling okay?" Judy asked as he made his fifth circuit across the room.

"I'm fine," he said, a little louder than normal. "Just restless, is all."

"Restless?" Ms. Hertz questioned.

"Yeah,  _restless,_ " Nick snapped at her without turning from his pacing. "You're dead-eyed stare doesn't exactly inspire tranquility."

"Well, if that doesn't do it, I could always bash your skull in. At least then you'd be still," she threatened casually.

"I wish you would, you rancid  _merkin_ ," Nick fired back, beginning to pace a bit faster, tail lashing angrily behind him as he walked and paws rapidly twitching at his sides. "At least then I'd be free of this bug nuts  _shitstorm_ of a situation!"

The two females stared at the fox in surprise, then glanced at each other.

 _Is that normal?,_ Ms. Hertz asked with a silently raised brow.

A subtle shake of the head was her answer.  _No, it's not._

Judy hopped off the couch and waited for Nick to pass by again. When he did, she turned and walked with him. She gave him a quick once-over from up close. From this range, she noticed it wasn't just his paws and tail that were moving. Ears, face, neck, shoulders,  _everything_  was twitching and spasming. "Nick? Do you feel alright?" she asked softly.

"As much as a ragged corpse can, I guess. That was kind of a weird question, why would you ask me something like that? Nevermind, it doesn't matter-  _What the-?!_ " His nattering suddenly cut off as he stopped and turned sharply, like he'd seen something out of the corner of his eye. He stared out into the room, confused, while behind him a startled Judy leaned around him to look at what scared him so.

After a moment of not finding whatever he thought he saw, he turned forward and resumed his pacing. After a second to confirm that nothing was there, Judy followed after him.

"That wasn't right it's not right  _nothing's_ right what was that it's not right not right," the fox was muttering to himself, wringing his paws fretfully.

"Nick?" Judy tried to get his attention again. "Do you maybe want to lay- Whaaat are you doing?"

Right in the midst of her question, Nick had suddenly stopped dead, spun towards her and grabbed her face in both paws. "Shutting you up. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Keep talking, you have such a pretty voice…"

While he spoke, his thumbs began to rub back and forth over her cheeks. He leaned in and stared, fascinated with how her soft, pliant flesh dimpled under his digits, enthralled with the feeling of her soft fur under his pads.

"Ah-haha," Judy laughed nervously, blushing under his intense gaze and intimate closeness. "What- ah, what are you doing there, Slick?"

"So soft…" he said, more to himself than to her.

 _He's high!_  Judy thought, noticing that his pupils had become enormously dilated.

Plastering a fake smile over her face, she placed her paws over the back of his. "I really think you should lay down for a bit."

If he heard a word she said, Nick gave no sign. He just kept staring at his thumbs running over her soft, fuzzy cheeks. Then his left ear twitched. "Did you hear that?"

As he turned his head to look, Judy followed his gaze, only to see a blank wall. Switching her gaze back to him, she asked, "Hear what?"

Still holding her face in his paws, the fox sank to his knees. Slowly, he swung his head back to face her. He leaned in even closer, putting them nose to nose. "Judy," he said, his voice steady and serious. "Everything is going to be okay."

Judy stared back, confused and anxious over how his eyes begged her to believe him. "Nick, you're scaring me."

"Oh, good." He leaned back and smirked, and, just for a moment, he looked like the sly fox from her first, most disappointing day as a police officer. "Here I thought it was just me."

Then he tilted over, his paws slipping from her face as he fell limply to the carpet.

"Nick!"

From her spot on the couch, Ms. Hertz quirked a brow at the seemingly unconscious fox and the frantic rabbit fretting over him. "Well, it's about time he got knocked out."

* * *

Only, he hadn't.

Paralyzed, but aware, Nick was awake as he lay there on the floor. He was awake while Ms. Hertz hefted him like a sack of groceries and dropped him on the couch. He was awake while Judy noticed his eyes weren't completely shut. He was awake as Ms. Hertz snapped her fingers at the end of his snout. He was awake even as Judy tried to gently press his eyes shut, only to be frustrated as they slowly crept open again.

At that moment, he would have given everything to be anything other than awake. Not because he couldn't move and not because he couldn't comfort Judy as she quietly cried herself to sleep on his chest.

It was because of the deformed, hairless monster that crouched over him, staring into his soul with an eyeless gaze and haunting him with voiceless whispers.

* * *

Author's Note: Many thanks to BCRE8TVE, Erinnyes and DrummerMax64 for their wonderful editing. It's nice having a little team doing it again, rather than dumping it all on one person. Thanks, friends!

And to Starfang's Secrets, just thank you for being such a wonderful friend and helping me keep my passion for writing alive.

P.S. About the merkin thing... Seriously. Don't google it. It's just like "Blue Waffle" and if you don't know what  _that_ is, for the love of God, don't google  _it_ either!

P.P.S Rhynopol is a rhino pun on the real life drug Rohypnol, which is commonly referred to as a roofie. I suggest everyone read up on this drug and learn about it. For your safety and the safety of others.

P.P.P.S. I'm  _so sorry_  about the long wait. I had a radical increase in hours at work and I thought I could handle that and weekly update and I was  _wrong._  If things stay as they are I might have to face the reality of a two to three week update schedule, rather than my preferred weekly updates. I'm sorry.


	34. Furless Fingers, Mindless Memories

It wasn't like anything Nick had ever seen before.

It was a clay mannequin come to life, with wet looking, milky white skin and a long, thin torso supported by longer, thinner limbs. Kneeless legs didn't bend, but curved backwards like springs. Rail thin arms draped bonelessly over Nick's chest and shoulders while spidery hands with no thumbs and too many fingers ghosted over his face, almost, but not quite touching his fur.

The head was the worst. Lopsided and asymmetrical, it had no recognizable shape whatsoever. It truly resembled a lump of wet clay. Worse still, it shifted and morphed, slowly and grotesquely contorting about as though some invisible hand were kneading it.

In spite of the fact it had no eyes, or even sockets where eyes might go, Nick knew it was staring back at him with the same, bone-deep surety that he knew he existed.

How did he know? It told him. It was like someone was whispering in his ear, only, if someone asked to describe the voice, he couldn't have told them a single detail. It wasn't masculine or feminine, high or low, hard or soft, breathy or threatening or scratchy or smooth or anything. Words and images and sensations spilled into his mind as though he were reading a most engaging book.

Only, there was no book. The monster was in his head, burning its testament across the inside of his skull with no regard to the complete violation of its host's sense of self this caused.

After several hours, its work was finally done. Nick prayed to a God he had convinced himself didn't exist years ago that that would be the end of it.

Its presence remained.

When the face of his mother appeared in his mind's eye and stuck there, so vivid in detail that it was like she was standing in the room, Nick's mind stalled as he tried to figure out why. At first, she appeared as she did in his earliest memories, a beautiful and vivacious vixen with thick, gorgeous fur and a beatific smile. Rapidly, she began to age to the time after her husband died. She still smiled, but now it wasn't as lively and her fur wasn't as glossy. The process continued until she looked as he last remembered her: weary and thin and so worn down. Still, she smiled, even though she looked too tired to smile.

Then she disappeared, leaving Nick feeling empty and distressed. What was happening?

Then his father appeared. John Wilde was a little taller and broader shouldered than his son, with a darker coat of fur. He, too, aged, though much less dramatically. Nick had only known him a few years before he passed away, after all.

When his father disappeared, a terrible suspicion took root.

When Honey appeared and began to progress from the first day he met her to the last he had seen her, it went from suspicion to fact. The monster was digging through his past, learning about its host in the most direct method possible: picking apart his every memory.

Every triumph. Every defeat. Every lesson learned. Every mistake made. From the most treasured moments to his most shameful, from the fondest to the most desperately repressed. Nick Wilde was laid bare down to his very core.

All the while, he laid helpless beneath the faceless, ever shifting monster, unable to twitch a single muscle. He could not seek escape, or even the minute release of screaming.

If he could have, he would have screamed until his vocal cords tore.

* * *

Only a few miles away, at the edge of Downtown, one wolf felt as though he had done just that. Gmork swallowed painfully, his throat feeling as though it was lined with a thousand rusty needles. It wasn't just his throat. Every joint, tendon and muscle felt like they'd been through a grinder, his many hours of torment having taken its toll on his body. It even hurt to open his eyes, and it felt like the orbs were laying in sockets of sandpaper when he rolled them to his side, where Ruby stood.

Even in his pathetic state, he instantly noticed two things. First, she wasn't looking at him, instead staring at something beyond the foot of the bed he was currently laying on. Secondly, her ears were down, her head ducked, and she was shaking.

It took more than he thought he had, but the burly wolf managed to lift his head and look in the same direction.

The room was filled with dozens of soldiers. The smallest were the size of wolves, the largest being clearly identifiable as hippos due to their bulk, and between the two extremes a number of shapes and sizes representing a variety of species. Most wore identical uniforms, the grey jumpers, black boots, gloves, body armor and helmets, as well as the tactical masks and goggles, completely concealed their identities and even species. They all stood at attention, arms at their sides, staring straight over the wolves' heads at the back wall.

There were only two exceptions, both standing at the foot of his bed. The first was a pig, figuratively and literally. The portly swine was nearly spilling out of a red track suit, the stretchy material strained to bursting trying to contain his ponderous gut. His gaze was lowered, focusing on the large drumstick he held, the sheer size of which made it doubtful it came from any bird.

Where the pig was short and fat, his companion was tall and thin, his hat nearly brushing the ceiling. The long raincoat he wore looked like it was still hanging off a hanger, there was so little filling it out from within. The coat's collar was popped up, and combined with the low-hanging hat it conspired to hide most of its owner's features in shadows. The only visible elements were a pair of sickly yellow eyes, looking as though the pupils had rotted away, spilling putrid black ooze into the surrounding iris and sclera.

"Oh, good. Hnnk. You're awake," the hog said, messily tearing a hunk of meat off the bone. He talked as he chewed, spewing greasy flecks of meat all over the bed. "I was getting bored. Hnnk. Thought I'd run out of food. Hnnk."

That seemed unlikely, considering he had two soldiers behind him, each holding a large cardboard bucket filled with several more drumsticks identical to the one he was sloppily devouring.

"Anyway. Hnnk. I'm Kingmaker. This freak here is Hector," he indicated his companion with a slight jerk of his head. Whatever it was, it gave no indication that it minded being called a freak. In fact, it didn't move at all, not so much as a twitch. The pig then stopped feasting on his oversized drumstick just long enough to wave it vaguely at the anonymous soldiers behind him. "And the rest are my Fingers."

Then he brought the large bone back to his mouth and messily began to tear away the last few mouthfuls of flesh. For several long seconds, his loud chewing and snorting was the only sound in the room. As he polished off the last bit of meat, the soldier on his left stepped forward and presented his bucket for Kingmaker's convenience. The pig dropped the spent bone, not seeming to care at all that it bounced off his huge belly, leaving a greasy smear on his jump suit and fell to to the carpet with a muffled thump.

As he reached for another drumstick, the pig finally raised his gaze to the two wolves watching him. Eyes the color of the brightest vermilion twinkled shrewdly at them. "Now, while I eat- Hnnk!" He tore a great strip of juicy, pink flesh off the new bone, oinking and snorting as he sucked it into his fat mouth, porcine nosenoise twitching and jumping. "Why don't you tell me all about this delectable lioness. Mmm," he groaned in appreciation, dropping his eyes to hungrily gaze at his greasy prize, "Oh, and the fox and rabbit, too."

* * *

The paralysis and fear caused by the monster was akin to being trapped in a cage and constantly jabbed with a cattle prod. There wasn't anywhere to go, nor anything he could do to alleviate his suffering. There was just pain, with no end in sight.

He couldn't even tune it out. The monster was from within, holding his consciousness hostage while it dissected his every memory. It wasn't long before he had lost all rational thought, his mind reverting to a simpler, savage state in a final desperate bid to protect itself.

But all things must comes to an end. Memory was finite, and Nick's was finally running out. His thoughts were forced to the last mammal that had left an impression on him. She was strong and feminine, dangerous but attractive.

The last memory he saw before the clay creature released it's hold was Ms. Hertz, holding out a crystal glass, the liquid within stained the deepest blue.

* * *

Somewhere in the dark, Ms. Hertz' eyes snapped open. Instincts screaming, she threw herself off the side of the bed just as electrified claws swiped through the space her head had occupied, splitting her pillow open in a burst of feathers.

"Survive."

It might have been stars or the overhead lights reflecting off the droplets of blood and spittle Nick saw when her tightly balled fist crashed into his jaw.

Landing in a crouch, she spun to face whatever poor creature had just signed its death warrant, but the feathers still hung in the air, blocking her view. All she could see through them was a few sparks of bluish white light, the sound of electricity crackling ominously in the air.

Then something burst from the obscuring cloud, teeth flashing.

The lioness skipped to the side, easily dodging the wild attack. When she came to a stop, she raised a brow at the sight before her. Nick stood in the spot she had just vacated, a powerful current running from his chest down his arms, blue-white arcs crackling over his fur and between his curled fingers.

Behind savage green eyes, a flash of memory.

"You need more…" Holding him up with one paw, she brought her other one back, muscles coiling like a spring. "...stimulation."

Her fist rocketed forward, burying itself nearly to the wrist in his gut. Nick's jaws opened in a silent scream, his eyes rolled back until only the whites could be seen.

The fox's head snapped in her direction, his snout drawn back in a truly vicious snarl.

Ms. Hertz regarded him coolly, unruffled by his sudden aggression. "Well, the drugs seemed to have worked," she muttered. When the fox let out a savage growl and lowered himself into a predatory crouch, ears back and tail bushed out behind him, she was forced to revise the statement. "Sort of."

The savage animal lunged for her. The lioness avoided the crackling streak of white with a quick hop to the side, easily clearing the bed. Red thread had already spooled in her paw by the time she landed and, with a flick of the wrist, she sent it whipping at her attacker.

To her shock, the fox twisted his torso, swung out his arm and caught the filament in his outstretched paw.

Lightning bolted across the room, consuming the thread in a flash of light and leaving a trail of smoke. Both mammals screamed as they cradled their paws to their chests, Nick's palm a bloody mess and Ms. Hertz' a smoking ruin.

The predators winced as the lights came on, ruining their night vision and forcing them to adjust. Judy stood by the door, looking ruffled and scared and furious all at once. "What is going on!? What are you two doing!?"

Keeping her eyes on the suddenly dangerous fox, Ms. Hertz replied through gritted teeth, a growl threatening to drown out her words. "Something went wrong. Foxy here has gone full savage."

As though to prove her point, Nick snapped his jaws and growled in the lioness' direction, the very picture of a slavering beast.

The lioness reached forward and grabbed Nick by the scruff. The fox hollered and clutched at her wrist with his good paw, roused from his shock-addled stupor by the white hot agony of his ruined flesh being pulled taut.

Keeping his injured paw tucked in, he lowered himself to his other three, muscles coiling like a spring.

Judy saw the signs and tried to intervene. Stepping forward, she reached a paw towards him. "Nick, wait-"

The fox pounced, soaring over the bed with paws outstretched and crackling with murderous electric currents.

Ms. Hertz' good arm snapped to the side, snatched the lamp off the bedside table and swiped it forward, slamming the heavy base into the side of Nick's head with a bony thwack!

Thrown to the side, the fox bounced off the foot of the bed and crashed to the floor. He sprawled across the carpet, stunned. Ms. Hertz hefted the newly dented lamp and advanced, face stormy. She paused and looked down when Judy landed before her. The rabbit held her arms out to the side, paws open.

"Let me take care of him," she said.

The lioness narrowed her eyes at the interloper. "Excuse me?"

"I'll take care of Nick. There's no need to hurt him anymore."

"Oh, I disagree. I feel a potent need."

"I know he hurt you," Judy said, eyes flicking down to Ms. Hertz' burnt paw then back up to her eyes, "but it was because of the drugs you gave him."

Behind her, the savage Nick whined and drew himself into a loose ball. The movement drew Ms. Hertz' attention. Eyes darkening with intent, she took another step towards him. Judy was forced to back up to avoid getting stepped on, but she did not step aside.

"Wait!" she called, hopping up into the lioness' line of sight and frantically waving her arms. "Beating him won't make it better! Violence and stress makes savagery worse! The only solution is to de-escalate!"

"What do you want me to do?" was the hissed reply. "Hug it out and sing Kumbaya?"

"No, I want you to get out," Judy said plainly.

The suggestion was so preposterous that it actually froze Ms. Hertz up in surprise. For a fraction of a second, anyway. Then she narrowed her eyes down at the little rabbit. "He's savage. What makes you think he won't tear you apart?"

"We were asleep together," Judy pointed out without hesitation. "When he woke up like this, I was literally in his arms. If he was going to hurt me…" she trailed off and turned her head to look at the fox over her shoulder. It looked like he was recovering. As she watched him push himself to all fours, she softly finished the thought, "I would already be dead."

Ms. Hertz narrowed her eyes in equal parts annoyance and thought. On one paw, she was irritated and beating the fox- and the rabbit, too, for that matter- to death with a lamp would be quite cathartic. On the other, she would lose her investment, and all the time and effort she'd spent since coming to Zootopia would be wasted.

It was a close call, but she decided that she would rather have her weapon than break it, no matter how good the breaking would feel.

"Fine," she allowed, tossing the lamp on to the bed. "Take care of this. I want him in fighting shape in two hours."

Then she turned and walked out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

The sound startled the still slightly dazed Nick, who tripped over his wobbly legs and fell over, sprawled out again. His head bounced off the carpeted floor, aggravating his injury. Green eyes clenched shut as pain lanced through his skull, the savage fox curling in on himself.

Unnoticed, a figure crouched silently nearby. It spoke his name, softly. "Nick."

Eyes snapping open, the fox scrambled to his feet and paws. He whirled towards the presence, hackles raised and tail bushed.

It was a rabbit, crouched on all fours. Ears and head down, it was clearly doing its best to appear small and unthreatening.

The first time he saw her. They were surrounded by elephants and the scent of sweet cream. She seemed harmless, but he saw through her. Holstered on her hip was something he had learned to despise: a little pink can, marked with his people's face slashed with red.

Slit green eyes narrowed on the threat. With bared teeth and a fierce growl, he took one step toward the little bunny, warning her away.

She didn't back away. Instead, she lowered herself down a little more. She said something, the tone clearly meant to placate him, the details of which were wasted on his savage mind. Then she slowly held her paw out -

The second time he saw her. It was dark and raining. She was slowly walking down the steps towards him, one paw held out in conciliation, but the other paw was hovering over the hated can still holstered on her waist. She grabbed it.

It happened so fast. One instant Judy was crouched down on all fours, trying to talk Nick down, the next she was on her back, one of his big paws pinning her chest down, claws digging painfully through her clothes. Violet eyes widened as they took in the snarling maw barely an inch from her face. He lunged.

"Nick! Stop-!"

"Okay! Okay! We have to- uh-" Her voice was frantic, nose twitching. The rabbit fumbled with clipping the radio back onto her belt with one paw, while she dug into a pouch with the other. "We have to apply first aid!"

Eyes widening, the fox froze, his jaws nestled around her throat. The doe… helped him?

Eyes clenched in fright, Judy whimpered.

"You're going to be okay. I'm- I'm going to make sure you get to a hospital and they- they-" The bunny was crying. For him.

The fox pulled his teeth back, careful of the delicate flesh beneath his fangs. He relaxed his hold on her chest as well, lessening the pressure on his claws. He stared down at the doe trapped beneath him. Slowly, her lids slid open, letting eyes of striking amethyst gaze back at him-

And he remembered.

"I guess I kind of freaked out, huh?"

"Keep it. I don't need it anymore."

"Thank you for saving my life."

"All in a day's work for a heroic knight in tight spandex."

"Well, I'm not like any 'small one' you've ever met!"

"What's this about me being your Liaison?"

"I wanted you to feel safe."

"Nick, I'm sorry, I swear I didn't know!"

"Do you trust me?"

"I took you away against orders!"

"I have to protect you!"

"I did not cuddle you."

"At least you would have tried."

"I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try..."

"Promise not to walk me into a pole?"

"I'm sorry you're hurting."

"Of course I was worried, you jerk!"

"That's my strong fox."

"Hey, it's alright. I know exactly what to do."

"Don't hurt him anymore!"

"It'll be alright."

Sharply slit pupils dilated, rounding out into soft circles. "Judy?"

The doe continued to stare up at him, eyes wide.

Suddenly confused, the fox quickly scanned the room before dropping his gaze back to her. "What…?" he trailed off, eyes widening in alarm as he saw how he had her pinned. Snatching his arm back, he threw himself backwards off of her and stood on two feet.

Confused and wary, Judy watched from her place on the floor as Nick's shocked expression melted away as his face went slack and his eyes fluttered. He rocked woozily, paws reaching out and groping at the air like he was trying to get a grip on something. Finally, he leaned too far back.

"What the f-" He muttered, then he hit the carpet with a muffled thump. There he laid on his back, arms spread out, unmoving.

Judy stayed where she was, the ghostly feeling of sharp teeth pressing around her throat freezing her in place. But, as several long seconds went by and Nick still did not move, not even to breathe, a different kind of fear began to grow inside her.

"Nick?" she whispered. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she tried again. "Nick?" It came out louder this time, but the fox did not twitch. Slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Nick!" she called again, louder.

He didn't move.

Feeling sick to her stomach, Judy swallowed again and forced herself up. She took the few steps to his side on shaky legs and sank down next to him.

Green eyes, half lidded and sightless, seemed to stare off into forever and he could have been a statue with just how still he was.

Reaching out a trembling paw, she pressed it down on his cheek. "Nick?"

The fox came to life under her touch with a jerk and a gasp, startling her. Reeling back, she watched as green eyes frantically bounced around the room before finally landing on her. He flinched away from her, rolled onto his side, and curled up in a defensive ball.

Judy sat, frozen, staring at his back in bewilderment. After a moment, she slowly leaned forward and reached out to him. Surprise turned to concern when he flinched under her touch, whined and shrunk away, curling into an even tighter ball.

Afraid she was hurting him, Judy pulled her paw away. Instead, she scooted forward until she was right next to him. She leaned forward and softly spoke, "Nick? Can you talk to me? What's wrong?"

When he only trembled and whined, she decided to try touch again. Reaching into the ball of fur, she found his ears. Gently stroking the soft fur, she was glad to see his shaking slow to a stop.

Any relief was short-lived when Nick jerked away from her again, this time rolling away and pushing himself up to all fours.

"No! No! No!" he shouted, voice cracking. "This isn't real. It's not real, she's not real, it's just a memory-"

Judy stared at him, hurt warring with confusion. Why did he reject her touch? What did he mean she's not real? "Nick?"

The fox jerked his head in her direction, his face a mix of desperation and fear the likes of which she had never seen before. "NO!" he shouted. Raising himself up to his knees, he clenched a paw into a fist, the same one that had gripped Ms. Hertz' thread, one finger pointed accusingly at her. "You're not really here, you can't- Gah!"

He jerked and pulled the paw back. It shook and trembled as it slowly opened, revealing the bloody mess of his palm. He watched with horror as blood slowly dripped from between his fingers and down his arm, staining his artificially whitened fur crimson.

"No!" he yelled, closing his eyes and shaking his head, ears pressed low. "Memories don't hurt! Nothing can hurt me! It's not real!" He cradled the limb to his chest, placing his good paw over it so he couldn't see.

"Yes, it is," a soft, painfully familiar voice said.

Green eyes snapping open, Nick's head spun to face it. Standing before him was a little bunny doe, her fur dyed a dark, rich coal, and possessing the most brilliant purple eyes.

Judy's heart ached in her chest as Nick quailed from her, trembling like a leaf in a storm. "This isn't a memory."

"Yes it is!" he cried, a desperate fear in his voice. "That's all it ever was! A memory!"

"No, Nick. I'm here, with you. I'm real," she begged.

Tears welled up in his eyes and began to roll down his cheeks, wetting his fur. "No you're not!" he sobbed. "Dad, Ma, Honey, Finnick, they all leave! No one's real! I'm alone and it's all just a memory! You were never real, Judy!" he cried out, lost in a crisis of the soul.

Tears welled up in Judy's eyes as her heart broke for the tormented mammal that kneeled before her. Stepping forward, she ignored the way he shrunk from her, and reached out both paws to grab his wrists. Holding his good paw down, she slowly guided his injured one from beneath it. Then she pushed it up, so he was forced to look at the bloody palm.

"You said memories can't hurt you." She lowered his paw until the back of it rested on her shoulder. Then she pushed her paw into his, palm to palm, and pushed down until he gasped. "This hurts, doesn't it? That means it's real, Nick."

With his eyes still locked on their intertwined paws, he slowly shook his head. "Everyone leaves. It's all just a memory," he muttered morosely.

Judy reached up with her other paw and laid it on his cheek, using the touch to guide his gaze to hers. "Not me. I'm real," she promised, imploring him with her eyes to believe.

"...how can you know?" he asked, his voice small and afraid.

Judy tilted her head, giving him her most determined look. "I'll prove it to you."

Nick's gaze dropped to stare forlornly at their intertwined paws, now dirty with his blood. "How could you?"

Judy reached up, drawing his head down to rest on her shoulder. She held him close, pressed her face into his thick scruff, and said, "By never leaving you."

* * *

Author's Note: First and foremost, I'd like to thank BCRE8TVEfor busting his butt on getting this edited so fast, and so well! He improved the "Gmork awakens" scene by leaps and bounds, and he touched up the rest of the chapter, too! Guy's a champ, really helped me out. He even did the chapter title!

Many thanks to DrummerMax64 for adding his professional touch, also on short notice. Good luck with college, man!

A shout out to Starfang's Secrets! She did some editing too, and a whole lot of encouragement! Oh, and she's going to do my Zoosona! Thanks, Star!

P.S. I'm posting this again with a few extra revisions. Leroidatboi pointed out a couple errors, so those got fixed up. Thank you!


	35. Prelude to Change

In spite of Judy's fierce objections, Ms. Hertz brought them back to the dim, dank casino basement for another "lesson".

Now the lioness stood in one corner of the room, arms crossed over her rain jacket. Her paws flexed, causing her new rubber gloves to creak. These were designed with predators in mind, with hard, plastic, cone-shaped caps on the fingertips to prevent claws from tearing through the material while still maintaining a high degree of dexterity. She also wore matching rubber shoes on her feet, ones commonly used by mammals that couldn't spend all day in the wet Rainforest District without getting the dreaded tropical immersion foot, otherwise known as "trench foot" or "paddy foot". She glared contemplatively at Nick, who stood in the opposite corner.

The fox stood, shirtless, arms at his sides, a bandage wrapped around his paw. He seemed strangely lopsided, with long, artificially white fur on one side of his face and the regrowing but still very short natural red fur on the other. The different lengths and colors even affected his gaze, making one eye seem larger than the other, and of a different shade.

He stared hollowly at the lioness across from him. Unlike before, where he showed a respect born out of necessity, now it seemed as though he kept his eyes on her only because it was the least inconvenient thing to do.

Judy, who stood on the table hugging herself with one arm while the other held up a paw so she could anxiously chew on her claws, stared at him with undisguised worry.

Ms. Hertz decided it was past time to get things started. "So, can you use the electricity whenever or only when you're a drooling savage?"

Blue-white sparks burst from Nick's claws. Arcing over his fur, a wave of electric current raced up his arms, over his shoulders and toward the hole in his chest, the visible Origin within growing brighter as it re-absorbed the charge, before dimming back to normal.

Ms. Hertz eyed the minor display of skill with a critical eye. "Well, maybe you're not a complete waste of my time after all. What else did the Origin show you?"

Nick didn't reply, or move.

Frowning, the lioness tried to remind the fox of his station. "Don't think that just because you remember being a king that I'm going to treat you like royalty. Those are memories from a corpse, and they're worth just as much."

Dull green eyes stared sullenly out of dark, sunken, mismatched sockets.

Amber eyes narrowing, Ms. Hertz uncrossed her arms and started forward, threatening. "Maybe I need to remind you-"

"You're a liar."

The fox's words stopped the lioness short. Her head tilted ever so slightly as she tried to figure out what he could possibly mean. While she hadn't shared everything, she certainly hadn't told any lies. "About what, exactly?" she asked coolly, paws on her hips.

"I saw everything," Nick said, voice as dull and tepid as his gaze. "I was made in a lab. They cut me into pieces and made me grow back. They melted me and burned me and shocked me and when they were done, they kept me somewhere dark and quiet."

Off to the side, Judy gasped with horror, paws over her mouth.

Ms. Hertz, on the other paw, looked thoughtful. "So, they experimented on your Origin's previous Eidolon?"

"No. There was no one before me. I..." Nick trailed off, a tinge of confusion on his otherwise blank face. He looked down and brought his arms up and stared at his paws. He traced a clawed finger over his bandaged palm as he spoke. "...I am the first."

"That's impossible-" Ms. Hertz began to say, only to stop. Her eyes widened as she came to an epiphany. " _Cut into pieces and grown._  They're  _making_ new Origins. This means…" she trailed off, covering her mouth with a paw while she glared at the ground in intense contemplation.

Judy hopped off the table and approached Nick. The fox looked up as she placed her small paws over his larger paw, gently gripping either side of his bandaged palm. Concerned violets looked up earnestly into dull greens. "Nick, what do you mean ' _I_ was made'?"

The fox cocked his head at her, confused. "...What? What are you talking about?"

Judy frowned with worry. "You said ' _I_ was made.' 'They cut  _me_  to pieces.'"

Nick frowned as his confusion multiplied. "I… that's not right-"

"Goddammit!" Fox and bunny both jumped as the curse suddenly rang out. They turned and watched Ms. Hertz pace to the table and slam her paws down on top. She leaned on her arms as her plastic-tipped fingers tapped a rapid rhythm on the metal.

The duo twitched as her arm suddenly whipped out toward them, one finger extended to point squarely in their direction. Then her head followed, amber eyes glaring them down.

"Alright, turns out we don't have  _nearly_  as much time as I thought.  _You,_ " her finger raised a degree to train directly on Nick, "get over here. Since you can control the Origin at will, it's time for you to learn how to  _actually_ fight.  _You,_ " now the finger dropped a degree, pointing squarely at Judy, "were cop, right? Do you have  _any_ combat skills worth mentioning?"

The bunny glared and turned to face the lioness fully. Drawing herself up, she said with pride, "I was  _valedictorian_  of my class. I've laid out rhinos and left polar bears gasping on the mats."

Ms. Hertz dropped her arm. "Well, at least you're good for something. I'm no teacher, so  _you'll_  watch the fox and tell him how he fucked up and what to do about it."

* * *

"Ha-ha-ha!  _ **Hnnk!**_ " Kingmaker laughed and snorted once Ruby finished filling him in. "What a terrible job you've do of- of, well,  _everything_!. No wonder Aphos had to call me." The portly pig shook his head before taking another bite from his oversized drumstick, reclining in an oversized fold out lawn chair that one of his cronies had set up for him. Despite the way it creaked under his substantial weight, he seemed very comfortable.

The tall, anonymous creature in the hat and raincoat moved for the first time, turning slightly and dropping monstrous yellow eyes on Kingmaker. The pig shivered as though an icy wind rolled over him. Already knowing the cause, he glanced up before looking back down at his food with a scoff. "Yes, yes, you, too, Hector! You know  _I'd_  never say you weren't helpful. I do like  _living_  after all," he muttered the last part to himself before taking another bite of his seemingly never-ending meal. Apparently mollified, the unknown slowly turned his gaze back to the wolves.

The greasy swine raised his brilliant red eyes to Ruby and Gmork, who were both still watching the pair warily. Chewing thoughtfully for a moment, he dropped the half eaten morsel to rest on his bulging gut, then pointed at Ruby with a fat, stubby, hoofed finger. "Girl, write this down, I won't say it again! Here's what we're going to do about all this…"

* * *

"Oof!" The breath rushed from Nick's lungs as he hit the tiled wall.

Across the room, arms crossed and hip cocked, Ms. Hertz watched with clinical detachment as the fox slumped to the floor.

Hopping down from her place on the table, Judy rushed to Nick's side. "Holy  _crepes,_ Nick! Are you okay?!" she asked as she skid to a halt. Kneeling down, she gently began to check him for injuries.

"None of that!" Ms. Hertz called, grabbing the rabbit's attention, who paused what she was doing to stare at lioness. "Just do what I told you. Get him up and tell him what he did wrong. We don't have time to waste on touchy-feely crap."

"It's  _not touchy-feely crap!_ " Judy shouted. "How's he supposed to learn anything if you crack his skull open?!" Her gaze snapped down as Nick suddenly stirred beneath her paws.

"No, let me up, I'm fine," he said as he pushed himself up to all fours.

"Nick, please. She'll kill you at this rate," Judy begged him to see reason.

He looked up at her, eyes serious. "She'll kill us  _both_  if I don't give this my all." Shoving himself upward, he stood briefly on two legs before stumbling backwards as the room lurched before his eyes. One paw reached back to brace against the wall while the other came down on Judy's shoulder.

The rabbit buckled a bit before straightening and grabbing his arm with both paws, doing her best to support him.

Nick shook his head a bit as his vision cleared. Straightening up, he kept his paw on Judy's shoulder as he tried to reassure her. "I'm fine. Please, just, tell me what I need to know so it won't happen again."

Looking from Nick to Ms. Hertz, Judy was dismayed to see two mammals determined to keep fighting. Frustrated, she dropped her gaze to the floor. It took a second for her to overcome her misgivings, but she did relent. "Don't rush her," she said, eyes still on the floor, "but stay close. Watch her paws, all four of them. When she makes a move, you'll blink to protect your eyes. Don't. Keep your eyes on her, even when she's about to smash your face in."

Nick paused a moment to let her advice sink in. When he thought he had it, he gave her shoulder a grateful squeeze. "Thank you."

Then he drew his paw back, turned and walked towards his opponent, leaving Judy behind to glare at the floor, clenching her paws at the unfairness of it all until they shook with impotent rage.

* * *

"You called for me, Director?" Jack asked as he walked into Skye's office.

The arctic vixen motioned to one of the seats before her desk. "Please have a seat, Agent Savage."

Skye would only call him  _Agent Savage_ if she were putting on a show for someone and lately that meant the unknown, but very dangerous S.I.L.E.N.C.E.

 _Oh, shaft me! Not more of_ _this_ _,_  he thought to himself. His displeasure must have shown on his face, because Skye shot him a warning glance as he approached.

The vixen turned to face the office phone on her desk. "We are ready for you, Mr. Skroop."

" _Eeexcelleeent,_ " Mr. Skroop's unmistakable drawl issued forth from the speaker. " _Direeectoor Vaaaults. Aaagent Saavaage. I neeed your heeelp ooonce again._ "

Skye crossed her arms on the desk and leaned forward. "How can the ZBI be of assistance?"

" _Due to… unforeseeeen circuuumstaances, myyy depaartmeent haas deeecided to tryyy a… neeew aapproooach._ "

Skye and Jack exchanged a worried look, sharing wordlessly with one another that both had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

Throwing himself down, Nick just managed to miss getting clobbered by one of Ms. Hertz' powerful swipes. Then her leg came up, slamming her shin square in his right side. Thrown clear off his feet, the fox went skidding across the tiled floor to hit the wall with a muffled thump.

While he gasped and wheezed, Judy once again came running to his side. Kneeling down next to him, she felt along his ribs. Only after she confirmed nothing was broken did she slip one paw under his head and help him sit up.

"Are you okay? Can you breathe?" she asked as she grabbed his nose to direct his gaze at her, once again checking his pupils for signs of head trauma.

After two deep breaths and a throat clearing cough, he finally managed to answer, "I can- hah!- keep going."

"Hurry up!" Ms. Hertz called, her arms crossed impatiently.

Judy turned to shoot the lioness a glower, then she turned back Nick. Though her expression relaxed, she continued to frown. Taking a second to review the brief bout she'd just witnessed, the doe tried to put her thoughts into words.

"You keep your eyes on her, which is good," she began slowly, "but you need to realize that she's watching you, too. If your dodges or blocks are too obvious, she'll go around them. Try to be more spontaneous. Attacking might help, too."

"But, she's so  _fast,_ " Nick pointed out. "How can I hit her?"

"You won't, at first," Judy said frankly. "But if you don't start practicing now, you never will."

* * *

As Jack walked through the motel parking lot, he stared in wonder at the four large, white buses, the windows of which were all tinted to obscure what might be inside. Even though his sensitive hearing could not detect anything, he couldn't shake the feeling of many eyes following him.

Shivering, he turned away and quickened his pace. Glancing from door to door, he found the one Mr. Skroop had instructed him to find: 19.

Going right up to the door, the buck found it was slightly ajar. Knocking on the frame as he went, he pushed the door in a few more inches and called into the gap, "Hello? Agent Roughpaw?"

There was no response.

Perking his ears, Jack listened intently.

A flutter and a shuffle. A sound he knew well. Paperwork.

Pushing the door open just a few inches more, the bunny quietly slipped in and closed it behind him. While the room was lit, it wasn't nearly as bright as the sunny exterior of Downtown Zootopia. It took a few rapid blinks before he could make out much more than indistinct colors and shapes.

Finally, the room resolved. It was a simple room with one bed, bland wallpaper, worn carpet and all the basics: table, lamp, dresser and tv. Nothing noteworthy whatsoever.

Ruby stood at the table, using it is as a desk while she organized a small spread of paper sheets and placed them into a binder.

Jack came up on her side, though he stopped at a respectful distance. A quick crane of his neck told him he couldn't look at what she was working on without jumping up on the table.

Settling back on his paws, he said, "I take it that's the  _new direction_ Mr. Skroop spoke of."

"That's right," the she-wolf woodenly replied as she carefully arranged a thin stack of pages and tucked them into place.

"Do you mind if I look at it?"

"Since that would mean taking it out of its binding,  _yes,_ I mind," she said, irritation coloring her voice.

Jack, sensing that arguing would get him nowhere, decided on a more diplomatic approach. "This is going to be a hard sell. If I knew a little about it, I could be more helpful."

"Doesn't matter," she said flatly.

"Perhaps not," Jack temporized. "But you know how the buyer is. Are you telling me you really don't want my assistance?"

Ruby closed the binder with a small  _whud._ She stayed there, both paws on the cover, as she said, "Mr. Skroop didn't tell you enough?"

Even though she couldn't see, Jack rolled his eyes. "Considering the limited time, I think you understand how difficult it would be for him to go into detail."

"...alright. A quick summary." Flipping open the binder, she began to leaf through the pages, grabbing certain important documents.

Behind her, one of Jack's ears twitched, then the other. Curiosity and confusion stole over his expression as he turned to face the wall. His ears twitched again as he heard something faintly from beyond it.

_Is that… chewing?_

"Agent Savage!" Ruby called tersely.

Spinning back around, the rabbit buck found Ruby looking impatiently back at him. "Sorry about that."

"Forget it. Let's get this over with."

* * *

Now sporting a split lip, Nick hit the floor with an  _oomph_  as Ms. Hertz slapped him straight down, rather than knock the fox across the room. The lioness raised her leg to do just that, but Judy's voice stopped her short.

"Match!"

Paused with one foot in the air, the feline turned her head to lift a brow at the bunny as she knelt down by Nick's side. Ms. Hertz opened her mouth to say something disparaging, but changed her mind when she realized how pointless it would be. Rolling her eyes, she dropped her foot back to the ground and crossed her arms. "Whatever. Just get him up."

Not even bothering with a reply or even a glare, Judy instead focused on giving Nick a quick once-over.

The fox tried to push himself back up, but only managed to tilt himself over on his side.

Judy just managed to shove a paw under his head before it could hit the tile. Lowering him the last inch to the floor, she leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear. "Don't move. Just pull yourself together while I talk."

Closing his eyes and resisting the urge to cradle his bruised ribs, Nick did as she instructed and focused on gathering the energy and resolve to keep fighting.

"You tried to hit her. Good," Judy continued, keeping her voice as low as possible so the damnable lioness wouldn't hear. "She's taller, faster and stronger. That doesn't mean you can't beat her. Focus on her joints. Bend her fingers sideways, stomp her toes, punch her elbows backwards and kick her knees in. Whenever she reaches out, you touch her first. Make her afraid to hit you. Understand?"

Nick managed a minuscule nod, breathing too heavy to speak.

"Alright. Now, get up before she gets mad."

* * *

Bogo's chair creaked as he leaned back, fisted hooves on his desk, to stare at the she-wolf and rabbit buck before him. He glowered at them, an expression half of fury, half disbelief.

"You can't be serious."

With mussed fur and bags under her eyes, Ruby looked entirely too tired to put up a fight against the sheer mountain of muscle and willpower that was the ZPD's Chief of Police, so the burden fell to Jack.

"I know this might seem excessive, but we believe this is the right course of action," he explained diplomatically.

" _Excessive_?" Bogo scoffed. "This is not  _excessive._  It's not even extreme. It's  _insanity._  An egregious violation of our most sovereign laws, dating back to Zootopia's  _charter._  I won't just  _not_  allow the ZPD's participation in this  _farce,_  I will do everything in my power to see that it never happens!" He slammed his fist on the desk, a sound with all of the authority of a judge's gavel sealing a death sentence.

Ruby flinched and looked away, but Jack didn't so much as flinch. The buck calmly steepled his paws in his lap, taking a moment to formulate his response. "Chief Bogo, please do not take what I'm about to say as a threat, or an ultimatum. The fact is, this is going to happen. There's nothing you or I or anyone can do to stop it."

Bogo leaned forward, his expression darkening.

Jack continued before he could be interrupted, "That leaves you with two choices: abstain from this operation and allow foreign agents to work unsupervised in your city, or commit the ZPD to this cause and have some say in how it is conducted."

"Why not the third option?" Bogo asked, his voice low and steady, livid but controlled. "I contact Markus Zubron, a close personal friend that happens to be Zootopia's Representative to the National Legislature, and have him start an inquiry that not only stops this…" Tilting so he leaned on his left arm, he raised his right hoof and grasped at the empty space by his horns, as though to pluck the perfect word from the air, "... _Crusade,_  in its tracks, but  _also_  gets  _both_  of your departments censured for abuse of power and make sure neither of  _you,_ " he held up two meaty, hoof-tipped fingers and stabbed them in the agents' direction, "do another day's work for the government for the rest of your lives!"

Rant finished, the buffalo dropped his fist back to the desk. He glared at the agents, daring them to test his resolve.

For a moment, tense silence filled the office like smoke. Then, Ruby reached into her jacket. Bogo, then Jack, turned to look as she pulled out a flip phone and flicked it open. The she-wolf pressed one button and held the device to her ear. "Did you get that?"

As she paused to listen to the reply, the males continued to stare, surprised by this sudden interruption.

Nodding decisively, she slipped down from the oversized chair and walked around Bogo's desk. When she stood beside his chair, she waited for him to turn towards her and held the phone out to him. "Chief Bogo, I present Markus Zubron, Representative of Zootopia."

Stunned silence followed her statement. For a second, it was all Bogo could do to stare down at Ruby in bewilderment. Shooting a glance at Jack, he found that the rabbit looked just as surprised as he. Turning back to Ruby, the buffalo stared at the flip phone for another few seconds before reaching down and gingerly taking it between a thumb and finger. Holding it up to his ear, he paused long enough to shoot a suspicious look Ruby's way before finally speaking.

"Markus?"

Jack watched with something like morbid curiosity as the bull seemed to go through the five stages of grief in a single, brief conversation.

First, Denial.

"You can't be serious."

Second, Anger.

"No, I will  _not_  go along with this rubbish!"

Third, Bargaining.

"Help me understand. How can you stand for this?"

Fourth, Depression.

"How can this happen?"

Finally, Acceptance.

"...Very well."

Closing the phone with finality, Bogo silently handed the device back to Ruby, who took it and returned to her chair. For several long moments, the office was silent as the Chief stared down at his desk.

Eventually, he spoke. "Fine. You'll have the cooperation of the Zootopia Police Department."

Knowing Ruby wouldn't respond graciously, Jack took it upon himself to do so. "Thank you, Chief Bogo."

Knowing their continued presence would only strain their already tenuous relationship, the rabbit signaled Ruby it was time to go.

As the pair approached the door, Bogo called out, "I'm going to file a grievance with the city, and with the Legislature."

The two agents paused and turned to face the buffalo again. He glared back at them, eyes smouldering.

"I'll submit a detailed report to every office that I can reach," he continued. "I'll use every tool within remit of the Law to fight this!"

Though his face was professionally neutral, Jack's eyes were sympathetic as he said, "If you feel you must, then I implore you to do so."

* * *

Blood and spittle spattered the tiles as Nick hit the floor again. Now, his nose was bloodied, a lesson from Ms. Hertz to not focus too much on her feet.

The lioness in question stood over him, arms crossed. Frowning thoughtfully, she watched as Judy came over and rolled Nick on his side.

Letting the two do their thing for a moment, she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a disposable phone. Checking the time, she was surprised by how late in the day it was getting.

Time to wrap this up. As amusing as it was knocking the fox around, especially now that he seemed to have finally grown a spine, she had other things to do today.

As she put the phone back in its place in her jacket, her palm throbbed sharply, making her brow twitch. Pulling her paw out of the pocket, she held it up and scowled at it. Even though it was covered by her glove, she could easily imagine the mess of burnt fur and scorched skin that the fox had left in the wake of his savage awakening. It had been bothering her all day, and what made it more galling was the fact that she had to take it easy on him while they were sparring. She had enough good sense to know he wouldn't improve if she just knocked him out.

Her ears twitched as an idea struck her. A coy smile slowly stretched across her lips, exposing sharp, feline fangs.

_Time for one more lesson..._

Judy was just helping Nick to his feet when a big paw wrapped around her throat and lifted her into the air. Suddenly bereft of support, Nick collapsed on his back. A shoed foot came down on his wrist and a knee pinned his chest to the floor.

The fox looked up in shock to find Ms. Hertz crouching over him. When he saw Judy struggling in her grip, his free paw came up automatically, sparks jumping between his claws.

Ms. Hertz easily caught his wrist before he could grab her arm. Her rubber gloves did their job, protecting her from the arcing current racing over his fur. Then, in a deliberate show of strength, she slowly forced his arm back to the floor, all without showing a shred of effort.

Gritting his teeth, Nick glared up at his attacker. When he saw her pleased smile, he knew that what was coming next was going to be  _extremely_ unpleasant and, since the lioness made a habit of getting her way, just as unavoidable.

Glancing over, he saw Judy was still struggling. In a doomed attempt at an armbar, the short rabbit had her legs wrapped around the lioness' forearm and her fingers wrapped around the paw on her throat. Despite straining with all her might to hyperextend Ms. Hertz's wrist, she didn't bend it a single degree.

"Judy, stop," Nick grunted.

"No, Nick!" Judy grunted right back. "We can't let her keep doing this!"

"Yes, we can! All you're doing is pissing her off."

"He's right, you know," Ms. Hertz interjected, smile dimming and eyes landing on the peeved doe whose life she literally held in her paw. "Now, you can be real still and quiet or I can bounce your head off the floor like a grape."

Judy stopped what she was doing long enough to look into the lioness' eyes. What she saw was an animal that didn't care one iota for her fellow mammals' lives. Though her fierce scowl remained, the bunny lowered her eyes, adjusted her grip on the arm holding her captive for ease rather than maximum leverage, and then went very, very still.

Seeing that Judy was no longer endangering herself, Nick looked up at his captor and ground out through clenched teeth, "What do you want?"

Ms. Hertz tilted her head at him. "I have other things to do, so I'm calling a close to today's festivities. You're a good enough fighter. Actually, you're still really pathetic, but you might get your paws on the average combatant, and that's all  _you_ really need, isn't it?"

"Is there a point to this?" Nick huffed, the pressure of her knee on his chest, though not her full weight, was still making it difficult to breathe.

Ms. Hertz smile died into an irritated frown. "I was  _getting to that,_ " she said lowly, leaning more heavily on his chest in warning. She only let up when he let out a breathless gasp of pain. "We're not up against average fighters. Gmork might be one of the better ones, but I haven't met a weak Eidolon hunter. Anyone sent after us will tear you apart. Lucky for you, all Eidolons have a little trick for when things get  _real_  bad."

"And what's that?" Nick panted, trying to get his breath back through the overwhelming weight on his lungs.

A cruel grin spread over the lioness's face. "I'm glad you asked."

With a jerk and a twist, she snapped Nick's arm exactly between the elbow and wrist.

" _ **Gah-haaaah!**_ " The fox threw his head back and screamed. Sparks covered his body as he instinctively fought to escape the pain.

But Ms. Hertz' gloves, boots and clothes insulated her well enough. She watched, unharmed, as Nick writhed in her grip, lit up like a Christmas tree.

"What did you  _do_!?" Judy shouted, staring over in horror at the grotesque angle Nick's forearm had taken.

"Oh, nothing mu-uh-ch," she said, voice hitching a step as her paw snapped from Nick's useless arm to his throat just in time to prevent him from biting the knee on his chest. "It's  _just_  a learning incentive." Using the new grip, she raised his head and smacked it on the floor. "Hey! Pull yourself together!"

The blow to the back of the head stunned Nick and he went temporarily slack. The light show ended, too.

After only a few seconds, the fox stirred again. Blinking slowly, he tried to move, but one twitch of his newly broken arm brought him screaming back to awareness.

" _What the-! Augh! What-?_ " Turning his head, he saw how his arm now had an unnatural bent. Without meaning to, he tried to move it again, only to freeze up as a shock of pain raced up his arm and radiated across his entire being.

Letting his head roll back until he was facing the ceiling, Nick groaned as he tried to adjust to the now constant, throbbing pain and didn't quite succeed. "You broke my arm. You broke my arm. You.  _Broke._ My.  _Arm,_ " the fox muttered, breathlessly.

"Yes, I did. Now, what you're-" Ms. Hertz began, only to be interrupted.

"YOU BROKE MY ARM!" Nick shouted over her, raising his head up as far as it would go and staring at her with wild-eyed fury. "WHY DID YOU BREAK MY ARM!?"

"If you would  _shut up,_ " Ms. Hertz punctuated the statement by knocking his head on the floor again, "I'll tell you."

"Stop  _doing_ that!" Judy interjected, voice cracking as she once again strained to escape Ms. Hertz implacable hold.

Ms. Hertz turned her head to tell the rabbit off, but snapped back to the fox when his head rolled back and it looked like he might pass out.

"Hey, no! Look at me or I'll break the other one!"

Groaning, Nick complied. "What do you  _want?_ " he complained, voice strained, just able to bring his snout back up so he was looking somewhere in her general direction.

"If you'd quit pissing and moaning, I'd tell you," Ms. Hertz snapped. "Now, focus! Almost every Eidolon can do this. Your Origin is spread throughout your whole body and it's basically all just one big muscle, like a tongue. It can move your body for you, even when you can't. Now, tell it to move your body. Tell it to put your arm back."

"Are you  _kidding?_  For- for  _this?_ You broke his arm for  _this?_ " Judy questioned loudly, once again drawing Ms. Hertz' attention.

"Yes, I did," the lioness nearly growled. Then she brought the rabbit up so their faces were only a few inches apart. "And if you think that's not fair, I'd be glad to make you match."

For a second, Judy's good sense held her tongue, but then anger born of days of abuse boiled over.

"Were you born this hateful or did someone teach you?"

"I taught myself. Here, let me-"

" _Hrah!_ " Ms. Hertz eyes snapped down in time to see Nick throw his broken arm up off the ground, the dangling forearm still trailing behind. Then, with a sick  _crick_ , the arm snapped back into place. Sparks exploded from his fingers as he reached for her face.

Suddenly realizing she was out of position, the lioness threw herself backwards rather than risk getting touched. Landing a few yards away, she watched as the fox's arm swung all the way around, nearly rolling him over with the momentum of his missed strike.

Moving faster than he had most of the day, Nick threw himself into a sitting position, leaned forward, put his forepaws on the ground and shoved himself up to a standing position.

It was only once he was standing did he realize his mistake. Eyes widening, he clutched his newly straightened arm to his chest and cursed, "Holy  _mother of-! Aha-ow, that hurts!_ "

Before he even finished talking, the fox drunkenly stumbled forward a few steps. Raising his aching arm with his mostly undamaged one, he pointed at Ms. Hertz and gasped out, "Drop the bunny."

Quirking a brow, the lioness dropped her gaze to where she still had Judy in her grip. The rabbit looked back, a scowl on her face. A very slight smirk graced the feline's face before she flicked the lapine away.

Judy hit the ground with a roll and sprung up to her feet. When she did, she found she was only a step away from Nick. It only took two steps to put herself between Nick and Ms. Hertz.

Turning to face the lioness, she graced her with her fiercest scowl. "Are we  _done_?"

Turning to face the door, Ms. Hertz smiled at them from over her shoulder as she left. "For now."

The door closed and the bolt slammed home, once again trapping them in the room.

Hearing a muffled thud behind her, Judy turned to find Nick had dropped to a seated position, legs and tail splayed out in three different directions. Cradling his arm to his chest, he stared glumly at the ground. His voice trembled as he said, "My arm hurts."

Judy quickly stepped up to him. Without hesitation, she popped up on her toes, threw her arms around his neck and squeezed.

Nick, for his part, didn't seem to mind. With a deeply felt sigh, he sank his head onto her shoulder. A little nuzzling around her neck and shoulder and he found the perfect curve to hide his face in.

They stayed that way for a while, giving and receiving comfort. But, eventually, Nick found there was something he just needed to say.

"I'm sorry."

Ears tilting curiously from her place tucked up against his head, Judy asked, "For what?"

"I thought I could do this. I thought m-maybe I could," his voice cracked, and Judy's heart ached as she felt him begin to tremble in her arms, "I don't know,  _be strong,_ or something- like you!- but I'm  _not._  I'm not strong. I can't protect you and I d-don't," voice cracking again, Nick was forced to take a breath just to keep his already shaky voice from getting any worse, "I don't know how much longer I can take this."

In the face of this terrible self-doubt, Judy's response was almost automatically optimistic. "Don't worry," she said, running her stubby claws through the fur on the back of his head, "Things are bad right now, but they'll get better."

" _How?_ " Nick asked back, voice touching on incredulous. "How can it, when everything is so messed up?"

Seeing how her quick response had fallen flat, Judy took a moment to craft a more thoughtful one. "We'll find a way. We'll  _make_  it better."

"But it keeps getting  _worse-_ " Nick's melancholy response was cut off when Judy suddenly grabbed his shoulders and shoved him back to arm's length.

The bunny glared up at him, violet eyes steely with resolve. She raised her voice until she was nearly shouting, "Nick, look at me!"

The fox blinked down at her, completely flabbergasted. "O-okay, I'm looking."

"I told you we would find a way, right?!"

"...right."

"Then, we will!" Judy insisted hotly, before lowering her voice to something more sympathetic. "I know you're hurting right now. From now on, I want you to focus on getting better. Leave everything up to me."

Green eyes glanced to the door where Ms. Hertz had disappeared, betraying Nick's thoughts. "What about-?"

"Forget her!" Reaching up with both paws, Judy cupped Nick's muzzle and directed his face away from the door and back to her. "Nick, look at me."

The fox blinked down at her again, still unsure. "I'm looking."

"I believe in you," she said, eyes shining with such conviction that Nick was nearly dazzled. "Do you believe in me?"

There was only one thing he could say. "Always."

"Then I'll make things better. I promise."

* * *

 **Please read:** Before anyone wastes time wondering aloud how Ms. Hertz could imply she killed Nick's Origin's previous Eidolon when the Origin itself doesn't remember having one, that will be explained later. This chapter is big enough.

Author's Note: I would like to thank DrummerMax64 for his always helpful editing.

Many thanks to BCRE8TVE and leroidatboi for previews and suggestions. On that front, a big,  _big_ shoutout to Erinnyes for his help. His suggestions are basically going to give the entire next chapter it's shape.

And as always, thank you Starfang's Secrets for your continued encouragement and support.


	36. Upcycle

Down in The Lucky Fox Casino's basement, Nick watched as Judy paced back and forth. It was amusing, and somewhat endearing, to watch the bunny think; because although she didn't say a word, it was like he could  _see_  her scheming.

Sitting and leaning against the wall, paws in his lap and the barest trace of a smile on his lips, Nick noted how she stopped, turned sharply, and hurried the other way.

 _No, that's a dumb idea,_  he thought, confidently guessing her thoughts to himself.

Judy stopped suddenly, crossed her arms, and began to tap her chin with a blunt claw. Cocking her hip, one big fluffy bunny foot began rapidly thumping the tiled floor.

 _What if we…?,_ Nick guessed again, marveling at her. This bunny was more active while having a  _thought_  than he was during an entire day of cons!

Judy shook her head and scoffed softly, before resuming her pacing.

 _Nope,_ Nick divined.  _That won't work._

Then the bunny startled, ears shooting straight into the air.

Nick tilted his head slightly, one brow raising at the change.  _Eureka?_

Without warning, Judy spun and pointed a finger at him. Nick perked up, waiting for her to say something. She opened her mouth to do just that, but hesitated. The finger pointing at him twitched nervously, thoughtfully, as her eyes wandered across the room, clearly looking for something.

Judy's attention landed on the lockers. Tensing up in excitement, she rushed to the one on the far right. After all, she had spent a lot of time trapped in this room and had explored everything. She knew  _exactly_ what she was looking for, and where it was.

She jumped and slapped the latch. When she landed, she used both paws to throw the door wide open. Reaching in, she grabbed something and spun around, hoisting her prize above her head.

It was a plain, red, plastic bucket. Head tilted and ears skewed, Nick stared, perplexed.

Judy's smile was brilliant as she declared, "I have a plan!"

* * *

_Clank!_

As Ms. Hertz pushed open the large, metal door that lead into the "Cleaning Room", as the casino staff called it, she was ready for some kind of sneak attack. What she  _wasn't_ ready for was for Judy to grab the door and kick off the wall, throwing it open, or for the fox to come charging through the newly widened gap, a bucket of water in his arms.

Reacting on instinct, the lioness tried to throw herself back, but it was too late. The fox crashed into her legs, water spilling out of the bucket to soak them both.

The world burst into a brilliant display of arcs and sparks and, for a time, she knew no more.

* * *

Cold water crashed over her, bringing Ms. Hertz sputtering into awareness. The first thing she saw was Judy holding a bucket. Snarling in fury, the lioness lunged toward the bunny, jaws snapping. However, something held her back.

Looking down, Hertz' amber eyes widened as they saw shiny, silver duct tape. It was wrapped around her arms, pinning them to her sides. Her paws were completely encased in the stuff, binding her arms together up to the elbow. A quick glance down to her feet showed the same.

 _That's going to be a bitch to get out of,_  Ms. Hertz thought, not looking forward to the process.

Amber eyes narrowed as they took in another fact. Nick was kneeling a few feet away, similarly soaked. His paws were flat on the floor, where she noticed there was nearly an inch of water. Green eyes watched her intently, quietly waiting for her to do something foolish.

 _So, the pelt and the stuffed toy betrayed me_. Actually, she could kind of admire the gumption and the ingenuity. She was sitting in a puddle with a living, breathing electric prod watching her every move. As it was, she was at their mercy. But, wait, there was a flaw in their plan. The rabbit was standing in the water too-

Ms. Hertz glanced at Judy just in time to see the doe place the plastic bucket upside down and sit cross legged upon it, pulling her feet out of the water and insulating herself from any electric current that might flow through it.

So much for that. Settling back against the dingy tile, the lioness forced herself to relax. Expression mellowing, she watched her captors from under half lowered lids. "What do you want?"

"To talk," Judy answered simply.

"Then talk," Ms. Hertz ordered.

Clasping her paws over her folded legs, Judy squared her shoulders, looked the lioness dead in the eye and asked, "Do you want allies you can count on, or slaves waiting for the first chance to put a knife in your back?"

"This doesn't qualify?" the feline asked, holding up her bound paws.

"No," Judy said, straightfaced. "We knocked you down, but only so we could negotiate from a place of power. You haven't received any permanent damage..." Violet eyes tracked over to Nick, with amber eyes following. The fox's green eyes were intense as they lay on his abuser, so Judy qualified the statement. "Yet."

"...Negotiate for what?" Ms. Hertz asked, turning back to Judy.

"We need to work out an agreement on how our little group is going to do things, because  _this,_ " Judy pointed back and forth from the lioness to herself and Nick, "isn't going to work."

"Keeping you alive isn't good enough for you?"

"Trust me, this is the best way to keep us  _all_  alive," Judy replied.

"How do you figure?"

"When you're in a fight, do you want to focus on staying alive or holding our leashes?" Judy asked. "If you can trust us to look after ourselves and  _not_ break and run, that'll increase  _your_  chances of survival."

The lioness sat back, considering. If what the fox said earlier was true, if the enemy really had the capability of manufacturing more Eidolons, then a reliable ally would be invaluable. Framed in that light, what the rabbit was saying made sense.

There was also the fact that they had successfully ambushed her. This meant they could and  _would_ do it again. If she pushed them too far, she would have no choice but to end this experiment and try again. That meant a risky extraction of the Origin with a low probability of finding a suitable host before it withered and died.

Fine. She would go along with their demands.

_For now._

Glancing from Judy to Nick, Hertz' eyes narrowed as they eventually focused on the bunny. "You mentioned an agreement?"

Judy nodded once, pleased, but covered it with her "cop face", a professional facade she had been practicing in the mirror since she was a kitten. "Let's start with the living arrangements."

* * *

The Getting Lucky Hotel had several suites available that were connected by ordinary doors. Usually, these were kept locked so that the rooms could be rented individually. However, it was possible to book two or more of the suites and request the doors unlocked, combining the separate chambers into a single, larger suite.

As it so happened, the suite they were occupying was one of these. Ms. Hertz, still with bits of duct tape clinging to her fur and clothes, visited the front desk, had the room next to hers placed under her alias and requested the key for the connecting door.

So it was that Nick and Judy received their own hotel room, with their own couch, kitchenette, bathroom and bed. The only catch was that the door separating their suites was to remain unlocked and unblocked at all times.

Nick wandered through the living room, admiring their new surroundings. The rooms were a mirror image of Ms. Hertz' hotel room, but reversed with everything facing the opposite direction.

Coming to the bedroom, he spotted Judy. The doe was studying the alarm clock radio atop the nightstand, thoughtfully brushing her paws over the buttons. The fox stopped, leaned against the doorframe, crossed his arms and stared at her, marveling.

Sensing his gaze, the artificially coal colored bunny turned. When she caught his admiring gaze, she froze, cheeks and ears flushing. Dropping her ears back before they could give her away, she shifted a little and cleared her throat, all the while being unabashedly ogled by the fox staring at her.

"Uh, Nick? What'cha doin'?"

"Idolizing you," Nick said, tone warm.

Face heating even more, Judy blinked, embarrassed. "W-why are you doing  _that_?"

"Because you're my hero."

There was a twinkle in Nick's green eyes; a shine and intensity that sparked a tingle in Judy's tail that raced up her spine and out to the tips of her ears.

"W-well, uh," Judy stuttered a bit, unused to such genuine praise from… anyone, really. Swallowing, she looked down and to the right, even reached over her shoulder to fiddle with one of her long ears.

 _God, she's so_ _cute_   _when she's embarrassed,_  Nick thought, his fond smile widening until just a hint of fang could be seen.

Unable to come up with a reply, Judy decided to change the subject. Come to think of it, she had something she wanted to ask Nick anyway. Perking up, she looked back at him, smiled and asked, "Are you hungry?"

Nick tilted his head a bit at the change, but answered truthfully. "...now that you mention it, yeah; I'm starved."

"Great!" The bunny cheered, bouncing on her toes and clapping once. "You go shower, and I'll order room service!"

Nick's first instinct was to offer the bunny first crack at the bathroom, but, honestly, with the many aches and pains he had accumulated after hours of training with Ms. Hertz, not to mention her "lesson of the day", a shower sounded sublime. Chivalry would just have to lose a round.

"That sounds good. Don't get too crazy with the menu, or our  _benefactor_  might blow a gasket," Nick cautioned. Uncrossing his arms, he pushed off the door frame and made his way to the bathroom.

As he did, Judy turned to the hotel phone that sat on the same nightstand as the alarm clock radio and grabbed the handset. Nick paused in the bathroom doorway to listen to her as she muttered crossly into the receiver, "As far as I'm concerned,  _Ms. Hertz_  owes us. I'm getting the most expensive salad they have, and she's just going to have to deal with it… Hi! Room 208 here-"

Smiling and shaking his head, the fox turned and stepped into the bathroom. The door closed behind him with a dull  _thud._

* * *

Some time later, Nick stepped out, followed by a noticeable cloud of steam. His wet, dirty clothes were gone, replaced with a slightly oversized bathrobe that hung almost to the floor.

After a hot, relaxing shower - and especially after a stressful, bone-wearingly exhausting day - Nick keenly felt his want of sleep. Shooting a longing glance at the bed, he paused as he noticed the pillows and sheets were missing, with the blanket left messily crumpled on the floor.

"...huh." What had Judy gotten up to while he was busy?

Turning and walking into the living room, Nick discovered the answer to his question: the bunny had set up the living room as an impromptu dining room, with the bed sheet spread over the coffee table and the pillows placed at either end to act as floor cushions.

The industrious doe herself looked up from where she'd been fiddling with the clock radio by the TV stand. "Nick! I'm surprised you're done already."

"Yeah, I didn't exactly take my time," Nick said with a half smile. "I was looking forward to eating good food again and enjoying it without that slave driver breathing down my neck."

"Mmm, that  _does_ sound nice," Judy said, placing the radio up on the stand. "But you didn't have to hurry. It's going to be awhile before the food gets here."

Nick gestured at the couch. "In that case, why don't we sit down for a bit? It feels like forever since we talked like normal mammals."

Judy grinned. "That sounds nice."

The two walked to the couch and climbed on. Straight backed and perky, Judy watched as Nick settled back into the cushions with a deep sigh.

"Tired?" she asked, sympathetically.

One baggy eye opened to shoot her a slightly exasperated glance. "You could say that," he said, voice tinged sardonically.

Judy's smile blossomed. "Hey, there's a little of the Nick Wilde I know. Where have you been hiding?"

Sighing mournfully, the fox slumped. His muzzle rested on his chest as he stared morosely at his lap.

Seeing the melancholy her words had caused, Judy's sunny expression sank into dismay. "Oh, uh, never mind- Nick, I'm sorry-" she tried to backtrack, but a paw on her knee stopped her panicked apologies.

"It's fine," Nick murmured. He let out another sigh, ears drooping. "You're right. I don't act like… me, anymore. I don't  _feel_ like myself."

Judy grabbed the paw on her knee and clutched it to her chest. "It's fine. Things have been hard, that's all! It's  _okay_  to feel worn down."

Then he shook his head in denial, confusing her. "It's not that. Not really. I just- it's… I don't know how to say it."

"It's okay; take your time," Judy encouraged.

For nearly a minute, Nick did exactly that. Raising his other paw, he used it to rub at his forehead as he thought about what he wanted to say and what he wanted to keep to himself. The paw then came down over his eyes as he thought about  _how_ to say what he wanted to say without talking about what he didn't want to talk about.

Two little paws squeezing his distracted him. Lifting the paw from his eyes, Nick turned his head and saw that Judy was still holding his other paw tightly to her chest, so tightly that he could feel her warmth and her heart beating through his knuckles. His gaze drifted up to her face. She was looking back at him, expression open and worried and encouraging and her amethyst eyes sparkled and  _oh god,_ he was never going to be able to keep  _anything_ from this beautiful bunny.

Entranced, Nick's gaze stayed locked with Judy's even as he struggled with himself. His mouth opened, but the words stuck in his throat as every fiber of his being screamed in denial, railing against the memory of what he'd seen and what he'd been through the night before.

But big, warm, violet eyes gave him strength. Closing his mouth just long enough to swallow his fear, he opened it again and spoke.

"I saw something last night." His voice was low, yet deafening at the same time, like the sound of footsteps in an empty cathedral.

The ominous statement, matched with Nick's frightened expression, spread a wave of goosebumps across Judy's body. "W-what do you mean?"

Raising his paw, Nick placed it over his chest. Judy glanced down at it, wondering at its meaning. It was only a second before her eye widened in recognition.

"The  _Origin?_ " she asked, looking back to his eyes for confirmation.

He nodded in reply. "It was like a lump of clay grew four arms and a head and started walking. It crouched over me and I couldn't move, couldn't even  _close my eyes,_ and- and it  _petted me_  and- and its paws were _-_  its paws were-" It was like a dam bursting, how everything started to spill out. He didn't even notice he was shaking until suddenly Judy was there, sliding her arms around his neck.

"Hey, hey, it's alright. I'm here…" Judy soothed him, reaching up behind his head to pet his ears.

Wrapping his arms around Judy's slim torso, Nick pressed hid his face into curve of her shoulder. He shuddered as the memory of the night before washed over him. The horror; the helplessness; the  _fear._

But now he had Judy. Her warmth; her scent; her comforting embrace: they were a balm for his injured soul and a weapon against the haunting specter.

It took a few minutes, but Nick eventually gathered the strength to keep talking. Pulling his face away from Judy's soft shoulder, he rested his chin there, instead. Letting out a quavering sigh, he forced himself to speak. "It was inside my head, Judy. It went through all of my memories and I had to watch _._ Every mistake, every loss, every sin. I realized it was all fake. I'm a fraud."

After going through some possibilities in her head and sensing that none were likely, Judy decided to ask, "What do you mean?"

Nick pulled back, prompting Judy to do the same. The rabbit didn't go very far, instead kneeling so close to Nick's side her knees actually rested on his thigh. She kept a paw on his arm in a show of support.

After a second to gather his thoughts, Nick continued, "Some bad things happened to me when I was a kit: My dad dying; that stupid Scout meeting; Ma getting sick-"

The words slipped out of Judy's mouth before she knew what she was saying. "What Scout meeting?"

Nick chuffed, amused by her curiosity. He patted the paw that rested on his arm and said, "I'll tell you later. Promise."

Embarrassed by her outburst, Judy turned her head to bury her face in his shoulder and muttered, "Sorry."

"It's alright." Any hint of a smile died as Nick remembered what he had done with his life. "After these bad things… I shut down. I told myself that I was being strong, but really I was just scared of being hurt again." A frown spread across his lips and his eyes pinched with anger. "From then on, everything I did was fake."

Nick's sudden upset had Judy pulling away from his shoulder so she could look up at him, ears fallen back, eyes wide with concern

Nick dropped his paw from where it covered Judy's so he could fist both paws in his lap. He glared downward to make sure Judy wouldn't think he was glaring at her. "Honey was like a mother to me, but if I really loved her, I would have taken her to therapy. Instead, I watched as she was eaten alive by fear and obsession. I visited her when it suited me and left when it got hard.

"Finnick was the same. Did you know he painted the van's mural himself? And he keeps that junker running, even though it should have broken down years ago. He could get a good job at any custom car shop in the city, but  _I_  talked him out of ever trying.  _Me!_ " Nick jerked his fists up and slammed them back into his lap, startling Judy. "Now he's a homeless, petty con artist living in a van and  _I_  made him that way.

"What would you call me, other than a fraud?" Nick finished angrily, fists flexing in his lap. He turned to gauge his companion's reaction.

Judy stood frozen before this wave of self-condemnation, staring up at him wide eyed and astonished. After several long seconds with no response, Nick turned away and tried to rise, only for the grip on his arm to tighten.

"No, no, wait," Judy begged, "Just- just let me think."

Nick settled back into the couch, but couldn't quite bring himself to look Judy in the eye. He wondered what she could possibly have to say to a worthless mammal like him.

After a few moments of consideration, Judy thought she had the right words. "I think…" she began, slowly, "that maybe you're right. You've done some bad things." Nick tried to turn away again, but Judy hooked his muzzle with her paw and forced him to look at her. The anguish in his eyes only made her more determined to get through to him. "Listen to me. Just because you've messed up before, doesn't mean you can't try again. That you don't  _deserve_ to try again. You can change."

Feeling his temper cool under Judy's soft look, Nick soberly considered her words. Was it so easy? So simple? Maybe it was, but, "I don't know  _how,_ " he confessed softly, gaze dropping and ears wilting in shame.

Seeing the fox look so lost reminded Judy of the uncertain times in her life, when  _she_ didn't know what to do, and the words she lived by to get through. "Whenever I have to make a really tough decision, I ask myself a question: If I were the mammal I want to be, what would I do?"

Nick's brows wrinkled as he absorbed her words. Raising his head, green eyes met violet as Judy gave him her most encouraging look. The room grew silent as the fox considered.

_If I were the mammal I want to be, what would I do?_

The question echoed in Nick's mind; teasing at his brain; hinting at something profound. But he couldn't find an answer, because he didn't know  _what_  or  _who_ he wanted to be.

_What kind of mammal_ _**do** _ _I want to be?_

Nick didn't know. Didn't know where to begin, even.

Apparently, he was taking too long to figure it out. Judy's paw began to stroke his cheek, distracting him from his thoughts.

Amethyst eyes shone with concern and compassion as she asked, "What's wrong? Is there something I can do?"

Almost without conscious thought, the fox wrapped his arms around the bunny and pulled her in. Judy didn't waste time: she threw her arms around his neck and and held on tight.

As Nick felt the precious life in his embrace, the answer became clear: He wanted to be the mammal that could keep Judy safe.

Wait, no. Animals like  _Ms. Hertz_  could keep Judy safe. Nick wanted to be  _more._  He wanted to be the mammal that kept Judy safe  _and_ made her proud  _and_ made her happy.

That meant not worrying her. That meant he had to be strong.

_If I were the mammal I want to be, I would pull it together._

Sniffing loudly, Nick moved one paw from Judy's back to wipe at his eyes. Then he put both paws on her shoulders and gently pulled her off. The doe looked up at him, violet eyes full of question. The brave face he put on, while not convincing, was an improvement over the melancholy with which the conversation began.

"Are you okay?" Judy asked.

"Ya know, for the first time, I think I will be." And  _damn,_  if he wasn't surprised by how easily that old  _Nick Wilde Smirk_ slipped into place. He was glad, at least, to see Judy smile back.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

" _Room service!_ "

The two flinched in surprise. Nick recoiled a bit before mastering himself, while Judy put a paw over her chest and muttered, "Sour  _grapes._ " She climbed to her feet and said, "Stay there; I'll get it."

Before Nick could reply, the bunny had already hopped off the couch. A few quick strides carried her to the door. She paused there, brows knit together as she remembered something.

"Bhavika?" she asked aloud, slowly, unused to the unfamiliar name.

"Yes, that's me!" a voice called back through the door. "I have what you ordered, miss."

With the ease of long practice, Judy jumped up, grabbed the handle, and twisted the knob while still hanging off of it. She dropped to the floor and sidestepped the door as it swung open.

Warm brown eyes and an easy smile greeted Judy. She was definitely an ewe of some kind, though of a different breed than was most commonly found in Zootopia, with short, dense fur instead of wool and blunt, stubby horns. She wore a flattering lady's business suit with a comfortable black skirt, white ruffled blouse and green blazer. A little bronze nametag proudly bearing the title  _CONCIERGE_  was pinned over her breast pocket.

"Hello, there!" she greeted enthusiastically. Reaching over to the right, she grabbed something and tugged it over, revealing a dining cart with two covered serving dishes on top. Grabbing the first cap, she lifted it up to reveal a large and extravagant salad, covered with such a varied assortment of vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds it was a wonder there was room for any lettuce.

"Your House Salad Select with all the herbivore fixings, ma'am,  _and,_ " replacing the cover over the salad, she raised the second lid, revealing a platter covered in over a dozen different cuts of meat, with colorful fish filets of tuna, trout and salmon, artfully arranged rolls of sliced turkey and even half a roasted chicken, "The Hunter's Delight!"

Nick, who was leaning over the couch's arm to watch the proceeding, dropped his face into his palm, chuckling, "Oh,  _bunny_ …"

After thanking the ewe, Judy sent her away with a smile, a wave and, "Make sure to put a big tip on the bill!"

Sensitive ears picked up a choked off laugh from the fox behind her, making Judy's smile spread a little wider.

The cart was made with mid-sized mammals in mind, so Judy could barely see over the top of it. Reaching up to grip the push bar, she began to push it into the hotel room, but only made it a few steps before a set of larger paws closed over her own. Pausing, she looked up to see Nick smiling down her.

"Let me help you with that, Carrots."

There was a moment of silence as Judy just stared up at him, silently contemplating his, from her perspective, upside down face. Then she nodded, looked forward and shoved against the push bar.

As the two guided the cart up to the coffee table Judy finally said, "It feels like forever since you called me that."

Nick glanced down at her as the cart came to a stop, then refocused on the serving platters. "It has been a long couple of days."

Judy froze where she had been reaching for the silverware, eyes wide. Then she used that outstretched paw to slap her forehead. "Oh,  _biscuits and butter,_ " she groaned. "It  _has_ only been two days. It feels like weeks!"

Placing the first platter down on the coffee table, Nick straightened up and turned to the second. "Well, look at the bright side: At least we're not prisoners anymore."

"There is that," Judy agreed. Seeing the fox was getting ahead of her, she grabbed the napkins and silverware and hurried to set two places.

While Judy was busy, Nick turned back to the cart. The top was cleared, but he noticed that perched on the bottom shelf was a paper shopping bag with the Lucky Fox Casino logo printed on the side. Eyebrow quirked with piqued curiosity, the fox bent to inspect it.

Just as Judy was placing the last fork down, her ears tweaked as she heard paper rustling. Whirling around, her eyes widened as she spotted a foxy snout dipping into the bag.

Nick startled as the paper shopping bag was snatched away while his nose was still in it. Rubbing the sensitive skin, he stared at the bunny in befuddlement.

Judy stared, clutching the bag to her chest and looking very embarrassed. "Sorry! It's just, uh, I asked Bhavika- the concierge, you saw her, the ewe?- for some- ah, well, you see I don't have any clean clothes-"

"There's lady-bunny underwear in the bag and you don't want me to see," Nick summed up frankly, cutting off Judy's rambling. He dropped the paw to his side and smiled with understanding. "I get it."

"It's not all just for me," Judy squeaked. "There's some clothes for you too."

"Hmm," Nick hummed thoughtfully, turning to look at the table, then down at his bathrobe, then back to Judy. He eyed the bag in her arms before smiling up at her. "Why don't we change? You could even take a shower."

"I don't know," Judy replied. "What about dinner?"

"Listen, dinner will wait. You spent all day in that gross basement too, so I  _know_  you want a shower."

The rabbit shifted from foot to foot as she considered. Finally, she looked convinced. "Okay."

Placing the bag on the ground, she dug into it, careful to not let Nick see its contents. After a few moments, she held out a wad of black cloth. "Meet back here in ten?"

Reaching out, Nick took the wad from her paw. "Deal."

* * *

Author's Note: Been a while, hasn't it? But, not without reason. I made a great chapter for you guys, but it was just too long, so I'm cutting it into parts. This is part 1. Part 2 will come next week at about the same time, and will be twice as long as this chapter, so I hope all of you can forgive the delay.

My first big shout out is to SovietMD. Guy did Grade A, professional editing for this chapter and I'm super grateful.

Not that others haven't helped. Starfang's Secrets, BCRE8TVE, Erinnyes, DrummerMax64 and Leroidatboi have all pitched in to help make this chapter what it is and I'm glad I have all of you to help me.

P.S. SovietMD is about to publish a really neat Zistopia Nick Centric story. You guys should all go put him on your watch list so you don't miss it.

P.P.S Starfang's Secrets has started doing art commissions! The first set is already full, so all of you should watch her on Deviant Art or Ρatreon to make sure you get in on the next set.


	37. Dancing by Candlelight

Author's Note: Everyone kept shouting about how all of this was getting to be just too much about the  _pain_  and  _misery_ and  _suffering._

Fine. You want happiness? I'll give you happiness.

P.S. I would just like to remind everyone that Judy and Nick have both dyed their fur. Judy is coal black and Nick is pure white, though with a big blotch of regrown red fur over his cheek and the side of his neck.

P.P.S. I thought I posted this a month ago, but it turns out I just saved it as a draft. I need to read my mail more often.

* * *

With fur cleaned and neatly brushed, Judy walked out of the bathroom in a simple pink t-shirt and matching knee-length shorts. Her slim torso barely filled the shirt, while the shorts were stretched tightly around her wide hips. The Lucky Fox logo, including the salacious caricature, was emblazoned in black across the chest and again across her left thigh.

When Judy entered the living room, she found Nick fiddling with the radio, almost exactly as he had found her after his shower. The fox wore a black t-shirt and shorts, and when he turned to face her, she could see that they bore the same logos across the chest and thigh, though his were printed in pink.

The fox smiled, admiring her new look. "Wow. You look good.  _Really_ good. And you were quick. It takes me twice as long just to rinse my fur."

"Thanks. You look good, too. Cleaning up and dressing quickly is something you have to learn in the Academy," Judy explained as she made her way to the table.

"Really? Why's that?" Nick asked as he did the same.

"When your drill-sergeant flips your mattress over and says 'you have ten minutes to be in full regalia or you're doing  _triple_ drills,'" Judy elucidated as she sat on her floor pillow, only to find that it was a little too low. She shifted to kneel on the cushion instead while she finished the thought, "You get pretty motivated."

"This sergeant sounds like a real charmer," Nick said as he sat upon his own pillow. Being much taller, he was able to comfortably reach everything.

"She was a polar bear too, so she  _always_ knew if you'd showered or not. You don't want to know what she did to the recruits that tried to skip showering before parade practice." As Judy talked, she grabbed the big domed lid covering her food and set it aside, revealing her extravagant salad.

Nick copied her, uncovering his own meal. "I've tried enough times to know: There's no beating a bear's nose."

Picking up his fork, the fox briefly contemplated the platter of various meats before him before finally deciding on the trout. "You know predators don't eat  _just_  meat, right?" he asked conversationally as he used his fork to break off a piece of delightfully fragrant flesh. Popping the morsel in his mouth, he raised a brow at Judy as he chewed.

The doe in question had already popped a cherry tomato in her mouth. Chewing quickly, she swallowed and said, "I know. I just asked them for the most expensive dinner they had for predators. You don't like it?"

Pausing his own chewing, Nick smiled and chuckled. Swallowing, he said, "I like it fine. You're just determined to give Hertz' wallet a black eye, ain'tcha?"

"Yes, I am," Judy declared. "Won't be the only black eye I give her if she doesn't shape up."

Watching the bunny puff up confidently had Nick fighting a grin. "I don't doubt it."

There was a moment of companionable silence as the two focused on the highest quality food either had enjoyed since well before their adventure had begun.

Judy's ears twitched as Nick suddenly let out a sigh. Looking up from her salad, she watched with confusion and a little concern as the fox placed his fork down.

"I was sitting here, thinking about whether or not I wanted to try having dinner conversation," Nick began. Pushing his platter forward, he cleared a bit of room to cross his arms and lean against the table. "Turns out, yes: There is something I want to say to you."

"What's that?" Judy asked, unnerved by the sudden change.

"I wanted to say… Thank you, Judy, for saving my life." Despite the sentiment in his words, Nick did not look grateful. With eyes down, shoulders slumped and ears wilted, Judy was concerned to note he looked ashamed. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I dragged you into this, and I'm sorry you're stuck with me, and I'm sorry I keep letting you get hurt. I'm just so...sorry."

Nick's eyes and ears both jumped up as Judy slapped her fork onto the table. The fox leaned back a bit as he saw the severe expression on the rabbit's face and he gripped the edge of the table nervously as she shoved off the table to her feet. The tod shrunk in on himself as the doe came around the table and stood right next to him. More than a little spooked by her behavior, he submissively dropped his eyes to the table and turned his head to expose his throat.

"Nick, look at me," Judy demanded. When Nick hesitated, she leaned forward to lay a paw over his. "Please, look at me," she asked again, much more softly.

This time, Nick turned his head to face her. Once their gazes were locked, Judy sternly said, "First off: You  _did not_  drag me into anything; I  _chose_  to help you. Secondly: I am not  _stuck_  with you; There's no one else I would rather be with. Thirdly: You have never  _let me_  get hurt; Since this began, you have fought, suffered and  _killed_  to keep me safe.

"If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I- You-" Judy dropped her gaze to glare at the floor. Nick was startled to see moisture gathering at the corner of her eyes. "You tried to get us to leave. You begged me to run away, but I insisted on staying. If I had just  _listened-_ " The first tear fell as Judy's voice broke.

"Judy…" Nick turned and reached out to gather her into his arms, but the bunny stepped back.

Angrily wiping her eyes with the back of her arm, Judy raised her head to glare at him with bloodshot eyes. This time, Nick didn't shy away, because he knew the truth: she wasn't angry with  _him_ : she was angry with  _herself._

"You've done everything you can! You have nothing to be sorry for!" she insisted hotly.

Nick stared at her, motionless, as he considered her words. Finally, he blinked and turned to the table. Grabbing one of the napkins, he turned back to Judy. Leaning forward, he grabbed one of the paws fisted at her side and used it to tug her toward him. When she was once again standing before him, he raised the napkin to her face and gently dabbed the tears from her fur.

"You know, this whole thing started when I got caught smuggling a mammal out of Zootopia," Nick reminded as he worked. "We probably wouldn't have made it to my little island getaway. And if we had, we never would have met Hertz."

"But-" Judy tried to interject, only to be quieted by a finger pressed to her lips.

"Yes, I know: she's terrible," Nick continued. "But she taught me about being an Eidolon  _and_  she knows how to fight and avoid hunters like Gmork. Besides all of this never happening, meeting her was the best thing that could have happened. The truth is, we needed to stay. We wouldn't have made it otherwise." Dropping the napkin on the table, he enveloped both of her paws with his. "If  _I_ have nothing to be sorry for, than neither do  _you._ Okay?"

Dropping her gaze, Judy stared at Nick's paws holding hers. After a brief hesitation, she wrapped her dainty fingers around his much larger paws as best she could. "Okay."

They stayed like that for a few, long moments, Nick watching Judy watching their joined paws. Finally, Judy said, "We could talk all night about everything we regret about this situation."

Nick agreed with a sigh and a nod. "And tomorrow night. And the night after that."

"Could we... not? I mean," Judy raised her gaze to his before dropping it back to their paws. "We'll have a long time to regret. Just for tonight, can we pretend we're normal mammals?"

"And act like none of this crazy stuff ever happened?" Nick asked, sounding affronted. He waited for Judy to look up at him and smiled at her befuddled look. "That sounds  _great._   _Yes,_   _please,_  let's do that."

Judy smiled as she realized she was being teased. "No more talking about Hertz or Origins or mammals chasing us?"

"Mammals are chasing us?" Nick asked, feigning shock.

Catching on immediately, long ears fluttered as Judy shook her head. "No, sorry! I must be confused." Her smile widened until she was positively beaming.

"Oh, good. You had me worried for a second," Nick smiled back, pleased with her newfound cheer. He turned his head to look at the table, then back to her. "I seem to be sitting at a table set for two. Would you care to join me?"

"I would love to!" Judy chirped, so enthused she actually bounced.

The two pulled apart and the bunny rushed around the table to resume her place. "Ooh! This looks  _good,_ " she gushed as she grabbed her fork.

Tearing the drumstick off the roast half chicken, Nick took a bite of the dark, juicy meat. While he chewed, he watched the bunny across from him relish her salad. The fox snickered as purple eyes rolled with pleasure over the sampling of one of the many vegetables.

Of course, it was hard for anything to slip past those ears. Violet eyes narrowed. "Are you laughing at me?"

Clearing his throat, Nick answered with a smile. "Oh, no, nothing like that. I just love your enthusiasm, is all. It's a pleasure to watch."

After indulging in a long, suspicious glance, the doe decided the salad was more important. "Well, alright." Spearing a slice of fresh cucumber along with some crisp lettuce, she raised the ladened fork and stabbed it in Nick's direction. "But that excuse won't last forever!" Warning delivered, she crammed the morsel in her mouth and began to chew.

"Oh? How long will it last, if not forever?"

"Three times. Maybe four, if you're charming," Judy replied through a mouth full of half-chewed greens.

"Speaking of  _charming._ " Nick leaned forward, placed his elbow on the table and rested his muzzle on his palm. He raised a brow and smirked at her, causing Judy to turn her head away in embarrassment over her poor manners. "Tell me about yourself, beautiful stranger."

Violet eyes widened as Judy stiffened in surprise. Turning back to face Nick, she found his eyes were half lidded as they rested intently upon her. Smoldering, green eyes had her dropping her own gaze to her plate.

"You don't have to do that, you know," she muttered.

Nick's head tilted curiously, ears cocked. "Do what?"

Now her ears fell back and her shoulders hunched to match her fallen gaze. "Call me pretty."

"I beg to differ. Flattering your date is absolutely essential."

Long ears shot up in surprise, as Judy's head whipped up to stare at Nick in shock. "Date?!"

Now Nick tilted his head the other way. "Well, yeah. Two unrelated, consenting adults having dinner. What else would you call it?"

"W-well, I guess 'date' is a word you could use," Judy awkwardly agreed, ears falling limp behind her.

"But not a word you  _want_ to use," Nick pointed out, expression neutral.

Sensing that a misunderstanding loomed, Judy rushed to explain. "It's not that I don't want this to be a date or anything!" she yelped, waving her arms before her to dispel the notion. "It's just- um- I, ah-"

Dropping her paws to the table, she nervously drummed her fingers over the faux table cloth. Feeling her face grow uncomfortably warm, she dropped her gaze to her plate, closed her eyes and blurted, "Idontknowhowtodate!"

Nick's brows furrowed as he tried to understand her words, then rose as comprehension dawned. Raising his head, his arm dropped to the table as he stared at her incredulously. " _You…_  don't know  _how_ … to  _date_?"

Head ducked and shoulders hunched, Judy mumbled, "That's what I said."

"Is there something I'm missing? Is it a country rabbit thing to not date?"

"No, it's not  _that._ Country rabbits date all the time. It's…" Judy trailed off, hesitated, took a deep breath, then let it out with a sigh. "It's a  _police_ rabbit thing."

Claws tapping out a slow, rhythmic beat on the table, Nick asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Letting out another sigh, Judy crossed her arms and leaned them on the table. "It's stupid."

Nick copied her, crossing his arms and leaning on them, too. He smiled patiently. "Try me."

Judy finally lifted her head to look at him. Seeing his open, supportive expression, she gave in. "I've wanted to be a police officer ever since I was small, but, there's never been a rabbit on the force. Not in Zootopia's history; not even in Bunnyburrow's. All the cops and sheriffs there are sheep, horses and llamas. That meant I had to be the first.

"So, I did what any child would do and I asked my parents how." Judy smiled, eyes glazed over with fond memories. "They told me that, with dedication, focus and a lot of effort, I could do it."

Now Judy's lips flattened and the corners lowered into the barest beginnings of a frown. "But they also warned me that if I spent all of my time and energy on my career, it would be really hard on my future husband and kittens and  _wouldn't that be a shame?_ "

From the bitter emphasis she gave the words, Nick realized she must have heard them more than a few times. "I didn't understand then, but I know now that they were hoping I would give up my dreams to have a family of my own."

"Seeing how you were in a uniform when we met, I take it that didn't happen."

Slapping her paws on the table and shaking her head for emphasis, Judy declared, "Nope! I decided that, if me being a cop would be too hard on a family, then I wouldn't have one! My father fainted when I told him."

Nick quirked a brow. "Really?"

"Really," Judy affirmed with a nod, ears bouncing. "From then on, I put bucks and marriage and kittens out of my mind. I was going to be a Police Officer!"

Nick grinned as he heard the capital letters. "It's good to see there are mammals out there who want more from life than to breed." Tilting his head, he frowned thoughtfully. "Still, though. Avoiding dating entirely seems a little extreme."

Judy shifted her eyes away, looking embarrassed. "When I was ten, I visited my local police station. I asked them for all the information they had on being a cop. Problem was, they weren't keen on handing out expensive manuals to anyone who walked in the door. So they gave me the free stuff, which was mostly public-safety brochures. Turns out they had a whole closet full. I read it all…"

For a moment, the fox thought Judy was embarrassed over her ten-year-old-self's zeal, but that didn't quite fit what her tone was telling him. It sounded more like it had to do with the pamphlets. "You read it all  _and…?_ "

"I read it all and… I scared myself silly." Judy looked even more embarrassed, going so far as to hide her face by dropping it into her paws. "Everything to know about the  _dangers of dating_ : Teenage pregnancy; about four dozen STDs;  _date rape,_ " she mumbled from between her paws.

Nick's muzzle wrinkled with distaste. "That  _does_  sound pretty bad."

"To a ten-year-old, it was horrifying," Judy said, dropping her paws to once again lean on the table. "For years after that, I was afraid I'd get pregnant just sitting alone in the  _same room_  as a boy. I was out of highschool when I wised up, and by then, it was too late. The good ones were taken, and I wasn't interested in the bucks that were left. They all wanted one thing and I wasn't about to risk a pregnancy for a one night stand."

"Reasonable. Still, though. That must have been lonely."

"Not as lonely as you'd think. I had lots of family to spend time with. And when I got the occasional motherly urge, I had enough nieces, nephews and little cousins to  _bury_  myself in kittens, literally  _bury_ myself, until I was  _sick_  of the crying and bottles and diapers."

Silence fell over the pair, awkward and thoughtful. Judy continued to stare at her salad while Nick continued to stare at her. For a long few moments, the only sound was their breathing and the rhythmic tap-tap of Nick's claws on the table.

Suddenly, green eyes widened with epiphany. "Wait a second!" Nick barked, startling Judy. The rabbit looked up to see the fox staring at her like he'd never seen a rabbit before. "This is your first date," he spoke as though it were a revelation.

Judy didn't get it. "Yeah…" she spoke slowly, confused by this sudden shift.

"That means this is your  _first date,_ " he repeated, looking even more thunderstruck than before.

Now he was talking in circles. Ears splayed crookedly as Judy cocked her head, eyebrow raised. "So?"

Nick held both arms out like he was trying to describe something enormous. " _So,_  this is your  _first date,_ " he repeated, again. He brought his arms in to gesture at the table between them. "It's too important for  _this."_

Judy's gaze dropped to their meals, which were probably the finest she had ever directly  _seen,_  much less tasted. "What's wrong with our food?"

"The food's fine. It's  _everything else._  It's all too…  _casual._ " He spoke the word as though it were filth.

Judy's gaze rose to meet Nick's, dainty eyebrows scrunched in utter bewilderment. "And casual is… bad?" she half asked, half guessed.

"Of  _course_ it is!" Nick cried, slapping his paws on the table. "You deserve better than a  _casual_ dinner on your  _first date!_ First  _anythings_  should be  _special._ _Memorable._ "

Suddenly it all made sense. Nick wanted Judy to have a nice first date. While she didn't quite understand his passion over the matter, she was touched by the sentiment.

"Oh, Nick. It's fine," Judy tried to reassure Nick, violet eyes softening affectionately. "There's nothing wrong with casual."

"No, you deserve better," Nick insisted. The fox suddenly looked thoughtful. He swung his gaze out across the room, looking at everything with a new eye. "How to do it?" he muttered to himself.

Green eyes were drawn upward, to the bright overhead lights. "Lighting," he noted to himself. Then his eyes widened as inspiration struck. "Candles!"

Judy tried to reel him back in. "What? No, you don't have to-" ,

But Nick was already on his feet. He muttered to himself as he swung his gaze about the room. "Not in here…" Then his eyes widened in recollection. "The hallway!"

Judy's eyes widened with alarm. They  _really_ shouldn't leave the room. "Nick, hang on-"

The fox was off. Judy reached out a paw and opened her mouth, but the door flew open and Nick was gone.

Sensitive ears tracked the sound of footsteps pounding down the hall. Judy gasped and covered her mouth as a loud clatter and a muffled thump echoed through the open frame. As the door began to swing shut, rapid footsteps sounded again.

Just before the door could close, a white paw clutching a fairly large, red pillar candle shot through the crack. Grinning triumphantly, Nick shoved the door open and sauntered back into the room, carrying an identical candle in his other paw.

Judy dropped her paws to the table, leaned on her arms and asked, "What was that noise?"

" _These,_ " Nick held up the candles and wiggled them. "Were stuck on a candlestick on a shelf. The  _shelf,_ " Reaching the table, Nick placed one candle down, then pinched the wick between thumb and finger. "Was a little higher than I thought."

_Chi-chi-chi!_

Judy jerked in surprise as a high pitched chirp rang out. A point of blue-white light shone from between Nick's pinched digits and when he pulled his paw away, the wick was lit.

Eyes widening and ears falling limp, Judy stared at the softly dancing flame with astonishment. "How did you do that?"

Nick froze with the other candle in paw, the unlit wick already pinched between his claws.

 _You're supposed to be_ _normal_   _tonight, idiot! Normal mammals can't light candles with their bare paws!_

"Oh, it's just a little magic trick," Nick recovered smoothly. Rather than repeat his blunder, he touched the second candle to the first and lit it that way. "Tell you what: I'll show you how I do it on our second date."

The mention of a second date was enough to distract Judy from what she had seen, that and her sharp mind had already worked out the most likely answer: Visible electric arcs were made of plasma and plasma was very, very hot. But that would mean thinking about how he could possibly conjure electricity and that wasn't  _normal_  so Judy put it out of her mind.

"You're already planning a second date?" Judy asked, somewhere between nervous and impressed.

Nick placed the lit candle down on the other side of the table, mirroring the placement of the first. Now the two candles would frame any conversation had over the dinner. "Of course. Planning ahead is a key to success in all things, including dating," Nick said sagely.

Then he turned and walked back to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Just getting the lights."

Judy ducked down a tad as the overhead lights went out, leaving only the candles to see by.

When Nick returned and finally sat at his place again, Judy stared at him openly, shocked over how  _different_  he seemed. The warm candle light played over his fur, casting dark shadows that contrasted sharply with his bleached white and natural red fur. A shiver raced up her spine as green eyes smoldered with the reflection of dancing flames.

Perfectly comfortable under Judy's searching eyes, Nick just stared back her, taking the opportunity to appreciate how the firelight danced over  _her_ fur and made  _her_ amethyst eyes sparkle

When Judy finally realized what she was doing, she turned away, embarrassed, only to be surprised again to notice how small the circle of illumination was. The table was well lit, but the candlelight only seemed to reach the couch on one side and the tv stand on the other, casting the rest of the hotel room into darkness. Suddenly, the space they occupied seemed much more cozy and intimate.

Before, Judy did not understand how Nick could care so much about lighting. She did now.

"You were right about the candles," Judy noted, talking mostly to cover the fact she had just spent an uncomfortably long time gawking at Nick. "You seem to know a lot about dating."

"Like in many fields, I'm something of a self-taught expert," Nick boasted.

Judy turned to face him, head cocked curiously. "I guess that means you've been on a lot of dates."

"That's right."

"Did they go well?"

"Dating 101: It's bad manners to talk about old dates with new ones," Nick said, neatly skirting the question. He popped a bit of sliced turkey in his maw to keep his mouth too busy to answer any more questions.

Judy narrowed her eyes at Nick's dodging of the question, but decided to let it pass. Pushing for more when he obviously didn't want to talk about it would be in bad taste and could hurt feelings. Still, she made a note in the back of her mind to ask him later. She wanted to know the whole story of Nick Wilde and that included his romantic history.

Things went quiet as Nick chewed. After a few moments, he dropped his eyes to Judy's salad, which he noticed was going untouched. Swallowing, he asked, "Is something wrong with your food?"

"What? Oh," Judy's gaze bounced from her plate to Nick's questioning face and back again. "No, it's fine. I was just, uh, remembering those STD pamphlets. Some of them had pictures…" Just the thought had her cringing in disgust.

"Yes, I can see why that might put you off your appetite," Nick said drily. After only a second's thought, he reached over and grabbed the domed lid that came with his platter.

Judy's gaze shot up as she noticed the movement. "What are you doing?"

"Dating 101: Never eat in front of a date unless that date is also eating," Nick explained as he placed the lid over his platter.

"Oh, Nick, you don't have to do that," Judy said regretfully.

"It's fine. I want to do something else, anyway," he said as he braced his paws on the table and pushed himself up.

Judy's head tilted curiously, ears akimbo, as she watched the fox step to the TV stand and reach for the little clock radio that had, until now, sat ignored. With a click of a button, music blared from the speakers at surprising volume.

_~I won't give up, no I won't give in~_

_Click!_

Nick changed the channel with a grimace and a grumble about "trash pop."

"Hey!" Judy objected, both to the change of station and his opinion of the music. "I  _like_ that song!"

"That's because you youngins don't know any better."

_Well I never pray, But tonight I'm on my knees~_

_Click!_

_Snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity_

_Click!_

Now Judy felt offended on behalf of her generation. Leant forward on her paws, cheeks puffed up in indignation, she glared at the fox's back. "What,  _exactly,_ is wrong with modern music?"

_~In the end, it doesn't even matter~_

_Click!_

"It's been scientifically proven that the quality of popular music has fallen over time," Nick answered.

_Strawberry champagne on ice_

_Click!_

"But no one seems to know that, so I won't hold it against you. I understand that musical education has been forgotten in these darkest of modern times," Nick said, faking his way through an almost convincing, understanding tone

_Your looks are laughable_

Pausing with his finger over the button, Nick's ears and tail pricked up as he listened.

_Unphotographable, yet you're my favorite work of art_

A frown of consideration formed over Nick's muzzle. "Chet Barker, huh? It's not Frank Ursinatra, but it'll do."

The fox spun around to face Judy, and suddenly he was changed. Shoulders squared, chest out, and wearing a bright, confident grin, it was like he was a different fox. One that she had seen once before: the Master of Ceremonies that had introduced her to Wilde Times, the theme park that never was.

As Nick walked up to the table, Judy noticed that even his gait was different: no faster or slower, but his steps were more deliberate. His long, bushy tail swayed in wide, slow arcs.

Once the strange-but-familiar fox stood before Judy, he bowed with a flourish, right paw held out and to the side, left paw over where his heart used to be, face toward the floor.

Completely unprepared for such a thing, Judy leaned back, eyes wide.

"Oh, lady most exquisite," Nick began, voice laden with admiration. He held out his left paw, the one that would have covered his heart, palm up and open with invitation. "Would you do this unworthy admirer the honor of sharing a dance?" Supplication complete, he lifted his head to look her in the eye. Firelight played over his features, one half of his face warmly lit and wearing the most charming smile a fox could achieve while the other was cast into shadow.

It was a scene right out of a historical romance, and Nick was a mysterious, charismatic prince. Long ago, Judy had put away silly fantasies like pretending to be royalty, the no-nonsense doe instead choosing to focus on a reality she could actually participate in. But now, here was a  _real_  fox,  _really_ treating her like a princess and there was a lump in her throat and her vision was getting blurry and  _ohmigod, what's happening-!?_

Clamping down on the unfamiliar emotions before they could overwhelm her, Judy forced it all back with a quick clearing of the throat and a subtle sniff. She fought to keep a quaver out of her voice and  _almost_  succeeded. "This is a l-little much, isn't it?"

"Anything for you."

If it were possible, the fox's smile grew even more charming. Judy was forced to clear her throat a second time. Not that it helped, since she didn't have any idea what to say. Since it seemed like Nick was getting his lines from a story, Judy tried to remember how someone in one of those stories might have responded.

As Judy stared into breathtaking green eyes, words failed her.

Seeing her struggle, Nick intervened. "Here." He bobbed his outstretched paw a little higher. "Take my paw."

Violet eyes dropped to the open palm, then rose again. Slowly, shyly, Judy reached out a paw and pressed it into his.

Nick's paw completely engulfed Judy's as he closed his fingers. Holding her gently, he flashed her an encouraging smile before standing, guiding her to her feet as he went.

Once the two stood toe-to-toe, her right paw in his left, Judy forced herself to admit, "I don't know how to dance like this." The fear that her ignorance would ruin everything shone clearly in the smallness of her voice and her lowered gaze.

Seeing her distress, Nick was quick to assure her. "Hey, don't worry. This is going to be  _easy._ All you have to do... is let me hold you."

Judy's ears sprang up in surprise as Nick's free arm moved around her. His paw settled chastely over her mid back, but she flushed as she felt claw tips so low they nearly brushed her tail.

_Gourds, his paws are big…_

"-on mine."

Snapped from the distraction of Nick's large paws pressed against her body, Judy looked up and blinked in confusion. "What?"

Nick smiled patiently, amused to see how overwhelming such a simple touch was to the bunny. "Lay your arm on mine."

"Oh…" Dropping her gaze to Nick's arm, Judy carefully did as instructed. She was a little embarrassed to find that, in this position, her paw landed squarely over his bicep.

"And we already have  _this_  covered," Nick continued, raising their entwined paws, once again grabbing Judy's attention. "Ready to try a few steps?"

 _Oh, am I ready to dance with a fox by candlelight?_  That would be a big, fat  _no!_

"I think so," is what Judy actually said.

"We'll start with the easiest formal dance in the world. To start, take your right foot and take a single step back."

"One step back? That's all?"

"That's all."

Judy dropped her gaze to look at her feet, only for it to shoot back up when Nick softly reprimanded her. "Keep your eyes on me. Looking away from your partner will only confuse you."

"Okay." Determined not to screw up, Judy stared Nick in the eye, mentally went over the difference between right and left and carefully stepped back.

Nick, smooth as glass, slipped his left foot forward, keeping their toes no more than an inch apart. "Now, step back with your left."

Judy did so. It was a little easier and quicker this time, since she didn't need to think about which foot.

Again, Nick slipped his foot forward so it stayed close to hers, keeping them at arm's length. "Now, take one step to the right."

"Uh, your right or mine?"

"Yours."

Hesitantly, Judy did so, all the while worrying that she was doing it wrong.

Nick smoothly mirrored her, stepping out with his left foot to keep their toes close. "Now, bring your left foot in so you're standing normally."

Judy did so and Nick mirrored her, leaving them once again simply standing in each other's arms.

"Now, repeat; Step back with the right. Now, back with the left; Side step with the right; Close with the left. Right; left; side; close."

Before Judy knew it, they were ambling across the carpet. As they were about to leave the circle of candlelight, Judy glanced over her shoulder to find a wall blocking their way.

The two came to a stop. Judy looked at Nick confusedly. "What now? Do it backwards?"

"I'm afraid that would be too simple. No, this dance has something called a corner step, and it goes like this: right foot back. Now, pick up your left foot like you're going to step, but then put it right back."

This new step caused Judy to hesitate, but she managed.

"Now, I'm going to twist to my left. Try to keep your foot right in front of mine, just like we've been doing. You can look down if you want."

"Okay…"

Very slowly, Nick swept his left foot out and back. Squinting to see in the dim light, Judy carefully followed after it with her right. It was a little awkward, she had to widen her stance more than at any other point so far and their feet weren't quite aligned when they landed, but it worked.

"Now, close."

They did so, ending up once again in the starting position, but now, the wall was to Judy's left.

"We'll do it one more time so we end up going back the way we came. Right; fake left; twist; close."

Now the wall was behind Nick. When Judy looked up, she was presented with an entirely new problem: The flickering firelight behind her conspired with Nick's eyeshine to give him a haunting, ephemeral gaze.

Nick's opalescent stare froze Judy solid. Feeling her go rigid in his arms and her paws squeeze painfully tight, the fox asked, "Carrots? Are you alright?"

The nickname and familiar voice snapped Judy out of her stupor with a little gasp. "What? Sorry! Sorry. I'm fine." Feeling how tight her grip on her partner was, the bunny forced herself to relax. "Didn't mean to grab you like that."

"It's fine." Nick tilted his head. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Judy nodded emphatically. "Yes. Let's keep going. Please."

Nick stared at her for another moment before reluctantly agreeing. "...If you're sure. Right; Left; Side; Close…"

Resuming the normal steps, they zig-zagged across the room until they approached the couch. After successfully cornering again, they wandered off in a new direction.

In the face of such an easy success, Judy's self doubt, as well as her earlier fright, was wiped away with a wave of enthusiasm and joy. Her smile was brilliant as she gushed, " _Nick! Look! We're dancing!_ "

Her happiness was contagious and Nick's smile reflected the warmth he felt inside. "That's right, Carrots. I knew you could do it."

Judy fairly vibrated with excitement. It was so bad they nearly missed a step. Once they recovered, mostly due to a quick save by Nick, Judy took a moment to appreciate what they were doing. A bunny and fox, dancing the… actually, she didn't know the dance's name.

"Nick? What's this dance called?"

The fox smiled, eyes dancing with humor. "That would be… the Foxtrot."

" _What?_ " Judy froze in surprise, bringing the duo to a halt. She squinted up at Nick with suspicion. "No, it's not. That would be like me knowing the bunnyhop."

Nick quirked a brow. "Do you know the bunnyhop?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Of  _course_ I know the bunnyhop,  _every_ rabbit in the Tri-Burrows knows the bunnyhop. But that's because it's a  _line dance_ and every feast, fair, and function has line dancing in the country. This is  _formal._ Are you telling me  _every_  fox dances formally?"

"Yes."

Now Judy looked bewildered instead of suspicious. "Really?"

"Really-really," Nick said, straightfaced.

"Oh." Judy blinked as she tried to wrap her head around that. "Why?"

"To most foxes- not all, of course, but  _most-_ there is no higher purpose than finding your soulmate. One of the best ways to identify a possible soulmate is by dancing one-on-one. So, every  _fox_ feast, fair and function has  _formal_ dancing. It's how most foxes meet their spouses. It's how my parents met."

Judy stiffened as the enormity of what she'd just learned settled in. "So- so, dancing is kind of a big deal, huh?"

"For foxes, it's the first step towards something more."

And there it was, the truth laid bare. Wide amethyst eyes stared into intense emeralds. Too intense. Lowering her gaze, Judy rested her forehead against Nick's chest, eyes closed as she tried to process.

Above her, Nick closed his eyes too. Though, that was mostly so he wouldn't have to watch her think. After all, he'd seen how expressive she was before. The thought of witnessing the exact instant she decided to let him down gently and having that burned into his memory was too painful to think about.

A storm of thoughts and emotions brewed in Judy's head.  _What to do?! What do I say in this situation?_

_The truth! It needs to be the truth, we are going to be stuck together for a long time and what if the lie came out later and wouldn't that be awkward and- and-_

_Focus_! Judy shook her, ears flopping about against Nick's chest.  _Okay, what is the truth? Do I want to date Nick or not?_  Judy's paw moved from Nick's arm to his chest and fisted it's in his shirt.  _I don't know! I don't have a clue about this dating thing and now I just have to figure it out in the span of a conversation?!_

 _Or do I?_ Judy's grip on Nick's shirt relaxed.  _Can't I figure it out later? It's not like either of us are going anywhere._

 _Unless we did_. They were in dangerous situation, one where it was a very real possibility that one of them might not make it through to the end. The thought was scary enough to have Judy stiffening up in fright.

In that case, which was worse? To have explored that connection and lost it, or to have never tried at all?

 _Wait. Never have tried at all?_ _Never have tried at all_ _?_ _Of course_   _I want to try. I'm all about trying!_

But  _ho-lee torpedo,_ was she scared. She'd never been a part of  _any_  romantic relationship, much less a serious one, and she knew that what Nick was offering would be anything but casual. After watching her siblings go through every kind of loss-of-partner imaginable, from amicable mutual separations to agonizing divorces and even a few deaths, she knew  _exactly_ how badly a relationship could end.

But she also knew how well it could go. She'd watched hundreds of times as first dates went well and turned to second dates which turned to engagements. How sisters glowed with joy and how brothers could stare into space for hours, so caught up were they with thoughts of their beloved bunnies.

Wait, she was getting ahead of herself. She needn't worry about the end at the beginning. This was the first date; a first date with a fox, which was something she'd never have expected in a million years, but that just made it all the more special.

Actually, no. This wasn't just  _a fox._  This was  _the_ fox _:_  Nick. The fox that had saved her life and whose life she had saved. The fox that held her as she cried and who had cried as she held him. After many long conversations over weeks of living together, he knew secrets about her she had never told anyone before. After their extraordinary time together, there was no doubt that he was already her closest friend. Why couldn't he be... more?

Mind made up, Judy's lifted her head from Nick's chest.

Afraid of what he might see, Nick was slow to respond. Eventually, his eyes slid open and he dropped his gaze to his partner. The fox was confused to note that  _Judy_  looked confused.

_Crab apples. I decided I want to try, but I didn't figure out how to say it…_

Noticing that eyes were on her, Judy looked up into his face.

A tense silence began to form, one that Judy was wholly unwilling to let exist, so she blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Do you know any other dances?"

Tilting his head, Nick considered the bunny in his arms. "A few."

Judy smiled, shy and inviting. "Teach me?"

And Nick dared to hope again. "Anything for you."

* * *

Hours passed as they danced, the candles slowly burning away. When the wax was about a third used up, they got bored of the formal dancing and Judy offered to teach Nick the bunnyhop.

After a quick visit to the radio to put on some fast-paced country, the two began Nick's education in the art of line dancing. The fox took the opportunity to ham it up, doing the movements with such over-exaggerated zeal that Judy couldn't help but copy him. From there it rapidly devolved into a contest over who could make the biggest fool out of themselves and, though there was no clear winner or loser, by the end of the game they were collapsed on the carpet, pointing at one another and laughing hysterically.

Now the two were laid out a few feet apart, gasping and giggling and chuckling. As Judy finally caught her breath, she was surprised by one deep yawn, then another.

Nick watched from his place laying on his back, a grin still on his muzzle. "You look tired."

"Mmm, no. I'm fii _iiii_ ne," Judy denied through another jaw cracking . Rolling onto her back, she pushed her arms over her head in a long, slow stretch, letting out a sleepy moan as she went. Tight, compact muscle rippled across her athletic frame as her back arched off the ground. Her shirt rode up, exposing a bit of her midriff.

Nick's gaze was drawn like a magnet, his eyes slowly tracking over her perfect thighs, wide hips and trim tummy. Fantasies of running his claws through her soft, touchable fur filled his head until there was barely any room left for rational thought.

Then Judy sat up and turned her head to face him. Reflexively, Nick set his expression into an easy smile so his gawking wouldn't be obvious.

"What's-" mid sentence, she yawned again. " _Haaa, mmm-_ next?"

Nick smiled, amused by her persistence. "You going to bed."

"I don't  _want_  to go to bed. I want to keep dancing," Judy griped childishly, rubbing at one of her eyes with a balled up paw.

Nick grinned even wider, pleased with the bunny's cuteness. "I'm not sure about that, Fluff. You can't dance if you can't keep your eyes open. How are you going to watch your partner?"

"I'll be fine," Judy insisted. Leaning forward, she pushed herself to her feet, a movement that lacked her usual pep. Once she was standing, she walked to Nick's side and held out a paw.

The fox quirked a brow at the offered limb, then looked up at Judy's face and grinned. "What?"

"You  _know_ what _,_ " Judy grumbled. "Get up. I want another dance."

"I don't  _want_  to," Nick parroted, reveling in her perturbed look. He was unprepared for violet eyes to grow glassy, or for her lip to tremble.

"Please?"

_I'm never going to be able to say no to her, am I?_

Outside of his thoughts, Nick let out a sigh. "One more dance."

"Just one?"

"Just one," he confirmed as he grabbed her paw and let her pull him up.

The fox made a beeline for the radio. Flicking through the channels again, he stopped on a classic rock station. Deciding that was a good compromise between their disparate tastes in music, he turned back to Judy.

The bunny stood behind him, arms held up and out, waiting for him to take her paw and place his arm under hers in the formal "closed" stance they had been practicing all evening. Instead, the fox stepped right up to her, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest.

As the fox began to slowly rock them back and forth to the beat of the music, Judy was wide-eyed with surprise. "Nick? What are you doing?"

"Dancing."

Judy craned her neck so she could look up at him. "But, this isn't a formal dance!"

"You didn't ask for a formal dance. You just asked for  _a dance,_ remember?" Nick looked down and quirked a brow at her.

Ears falling limp, Judy let out a sigh of annoyance and plopped her cheek on his chest. "I wanted to try the waltz again," she grumbled.

Judy's pouting had Nick grinning. Raising his head, he said, "Now, now, Carrots. Dancing like this has its advantages."

"What advantages?" she asked into his shirt.

"You get to put both arms around your partner, for one."

Judy noticed that her own arms were simply lying against Nick's. She pushed them around his torso and gently squeezed. Now it was like they were hugging. "This  _is_  kinda nice," she admitted with a sigh.

"And, since you're not worrying about steps, you can enjoy the music."

It was only just then that Judy realized she couldn't name a song or recite a lyric that she had heard all evening. As she focused on the radio barely an arm's length away, long ears rose from her back until they nearly brushed Nick's nose. It took a surprising amount of self-restraint on the fox's part to not nibble on one of the velvety tips.

_I looked out this morning and the sun was gone_

_Turned on some music to start my day_

_I lost myself in a familiar song_

_I closed my eyes and I slipped away_

Judy did just that. Eyes drooping shut, she pressed herself into Nick and lost herself in his warm embrace and the thrumming guitars.

Nick smiled as he felt Judy give in. Lifting one of the paws from her back, he tenderly stroked the downy soft fur of her nape. "See? It's not so bad."

"Waltz can suck it," Judy agreed, voice dreamy.

It took all the self-restraint Nick had to not laugh aloud and ruin the moment. His shoulders shook once or twice with stifled snickering, but he quickly got that under control so he wouldn't disturb his partner.

After that, time seemed to warp around them. The song seemed to go on forever, but it only felt like a few seconds had passed when it was over. Nick thought about ending the dance there, but he couldn't bear the thought of pushing Judy away.

Then the next song began to play.

_Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling..._

Soothed by the melody, Nick let himself relax fully, eyes slipping closed as his head tilted down until the tip of his muzzle came to rest on Judy's head, just between her ears. The only sign the doe noticed was a slight lift of her ears, but they quickly relaxed and fell down her back. 

 _Is this burning an eternal flame_ _?~_

The question posed by the song stuck in Nick's mind, pulling him from his blissful state. Was what he felt now, forever? Was it just infatuation or hero worship? Judy had done so much for him, of course he would feel something for her, but was it  _real?_

Nick felt the warmth of Judy's body pressed against his own. Felt the strength of her paws as she clung to him. Felt her trust in him as she relaxed into his arms. Felt as though he'd found a moment's peace in a world gone mad. After feeling all of this, Nick thought,  _yes, it's real._

When he surfaced from his introspection, Nick found that the song had moved on without him. 

_A whole life so lonely_

_And then you come and ease the pain_

_I don't want to lose this feeling_

Whatever else the song might have said, Nick didn't hear it over the words ringing in his head.

_I don't want to lose this feeling._

_I don't want to lose this feeling._

_I don't want to lose this feeling._

_Click!_

It was a long moment before Judy realized the music was gone and the dancing had stopped. Slowly opening her eyes, she turned her head to look at the radio and saw that Nick's paw rested upon it.

"Aww, it's over?" she grumbled, glumly plopping her head against his chest.

The paw on the radio moved. Judy watched with droopy, tired eyes as it came toward her. Such was her closeness and trust in Nick that she didn't even twitch when it came to rest against her face, nor did she resist when it cupped her cheek and guided her gaze upwards.

Nick was looking down at her, green eyes intense. As his other paw cupped her other cheek and framed her face, the sense that something big was happening burned her tiredness away until her eyes were round and alert.

Reaching up, she lay her paws over his, gripping the base of his thumbs. "Nick? What is it?"

For several long seconds, Nick just stood there, studying her face. Then he leaned in. As the space between them disappeared, Judy's eyes widened to match.

When Nick firmly pressed his big, black nose to her frantically twitching, little, pink nose, Judy didn't know how to react. She wasn't sure what it meant for other species, but, for bunnies, it was an act of profound trust and intimacy, usually only shared between family. Most wouldn't do it with a romantic partner until they had promised to marry.

But what did it mean for foxes? It could have been anything. Though, if the intensity of Nick's gaze was anything to go by, it was no casual gesture. The heat in his eyes seemed to flow straight into Judy, warming her insides until a blush suffused her whole body.

Having completed his  _deeply_  intimate gesture, Nick forced himself to pull back. The smile he wore was one Judy had never seen before. It was full of promise and affection and something  _more._  It stole her breath away.

"Judy, I'm in love with you."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'd like to give a big shout out to my editors:
> 
> SovietMD
> 
> Starfang's Secrets
> 
> DrummerMax64
> 
> BCRE8TVE
> 
> Erinnyes
> 
> Leroidatboi
> 
> These are the people responsible for making this story what it is and I cannot sing their praises enough.
> 
> P.S. What Nick said about pop music is true: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/is-pop-music-evolving-or-is-it-just-getting-louder/


	38. Inevitable Interruption

 

 

* * *

 

 

In the bathroom, cold water gushed from the faucet. Standing on the toilet seat, Judy leaned over the sink’s side and pushed her paws into the chilly stream. Pulling them back, she scrubbed her cold, damp paws over her face in an attempt fight back her flaming blush.

 

_“Judy, I’m in love with you.”_

 

Nick’s confession rang loudly in her head, causing her face to grow warm again, even through the cold water soaking her fur. Huffing with annoyance, Judy pushed her paws under the faucet for another harsh scrub. When she no longer felt like her fur was about to spontaneously combust, she cut off the flow of water with a twist of the squeaky knob.

 

With a deep sigh, Judy sank down on her haunches atop the toilet seat. She wrapped her arms around her shins and buried her face in her knees, leaving a surprisingly small ball of dyed black fur and pink cloth perched atop the seat.

 

Feeling as safe as she possibly could, given the situation and the forces arrayed against her, Judy began to review what had brought her here.

 

_They stood in the candlelight, Judy’s face framed in Nick’s paws. The fox’s eyes were tender as he looked down at her, half lidded and soft, but, with his declaration still ringing in her ears, the rabbit’s eyes were wide and astonished._

 

_Judy had good reason to be shocked. In Bunnyburrow, what the fox had done was akin to a marriage proposal. While she knew, academically, that things were done differently in Zootopia, her knee-jerk reaction was to think Nick was asking her to be his mate. Just the thought of it had Judy’s brain short-circuiting._

 

_Nick had booped her! He_ actually _booped_ \- _and then he said he was in love with her! Is that what he-? ‘Judy, I’m in love with you.’ Yup, that is_ definitely _what he said! Oh. My. God. Oh my god. Ohmigod. ohmigodohmigodohmi-_

 

_When the silence began to drag on, Judy reflexively tried to fill the void. “Nick, I… I…”_

 

_I_ _what?!_ _What could she possibly say?! ‘I love you, too! Let’s be mates!’ Ridiculous!_

 

_She wasn’t ready for that! Yeah, after everything they’d been through together, she felt close to him, maybe closer than she had ever felt to another mammal, but_ **_mates_ **?

 

_It was too much. Fight or flight kicked in, and since Judy couldn’t just slug Nick in the nose, she chose flight._

 

_Pulling back from Nick’s paws, she shouted “I have to use the bathroom!”, turned, and fled._

 

Which brought her to the present moment, curled up in a ball behind a locked door in an attempt to hide from it all. Judy cursed herself from within her little bubble. It was only now, _after_ she had fled in a panic, that she realized her mistake.

 

_Of course_ Nick wasn’t proposing. Judy had only known him for a couple weeks, but one of the things she was _absolutely_ sure about was he was _not_ impulsive. He wouldn’t propose to a girl on the first date.

 

Obviously, courtship was done differently in Zootopia. It was simply a case of crossed cultural wires.

 

_Right?_

 

That left his declaration of love, which was no small thing, but it was orders of magnitude less overwhelming than marriage. While it certainly surprised Judy, maybe it shouldn’t have. If what he said about foxes, dancing and soul mates was all true, he’d been courting her from the moment he offered his paw. Perhaps she was foolish to think he didn’t already have strong feelings for her.

 

_Well_ , Judy thought... _that’s one problem solved._ But it left her with another: she had just abandoned her date after he had shown her the most romantic night of her life.

 

Judy drew her head back, then slammed her forehead into her knees. “You.”

 

_Thud._

 

“Dumb.”

 

_Thud._

 

“Bunny!”

 

_Thud._

 

After the third strike, she pressed her face against her legs and took a moment to gather herself.

 

Judy already knew what she had to do. She was going to have to go back in that candle-lit room, explain herself to Nick and apologize. If she was lucky, he would laugh it off and maybe they could pick up where they had left off.

 

Unfurling from her protective ball, Judy slipped off the toilet seat. Once her feet were on the tile, she paused, took in a lungful of air, and let it out in a cleansing sigh. Then, she set her shoulders and marched from the bathroom, a determined glint sparking in her eye.

 

The living room was just like she had left it: overhead bulbs dark and only the candles for light. As she entered the room, Judy saw Nick perched on the edge of the couch closest to the coffee-turned-dining table, leaning forward with elbows on knees, paws clasped, and made a beeline for him.

 

Nick stared intently into the nearest candle, face a blank mask as the flame danced in his eyes. The fox was still and quiet as Judy approached, making no move or sound to acknowledge her presence. Even when she came to a stop by his knee, his gaze did not move from the flickering light. His statuesque demeanor had Judy wondering if he’d even noticed she was there.

 

Not wanting to let an awkward silence form, Judy opened her mouth speak, only for Nick to beat her to it as he said, “I’m sorry for scaring you.”

 

Not having expected that, Judy twitched in surprise, ears springing out and back in again.

 

Eyes still on the candle, Nick continued before Judy could form a response. “I was trying to be… I dunno. Genuine? Spontaneous? Whatever it was, I suck at it. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

 

_So, it was just a spur of the moment mistake_ , Judy thought.

 

Nick had been overwhelmed by the romantic atmosphere. Judy knew she should have been relieved. But, then, why did something inside give a painful twist?

 

She pressed a paw to her chest in a vain attempt to alleviate the sudden ache. “You didn’t mean it?”

 

Something in the doe’s voice drew Nick’s gaze from the flame. What he saw had him straightening up in surprise. With a set jaw and stiff upper lip, it was clear Judy was trying to keep a straight face. Too bad she sucked at it. Wilted ears, twitching nose and two of the biggest, brightest, most expressive eyes Nick had ever seen all gave away that he’d just hurt her.

 

The urge to comfort Judy was so powerful that Nick had to fight his body for control. His paws wanted to gather the bunny up, so he turned them over and clutched his knees so tight his claws nearly drew blood. His mouth wanted to make another foolish declaration, so he clamped it shut, his jaw flexing as he swallowed the words that so desperately wanted to be heard.

 

_The last time you told her the truth, she ran away,_ he reminded himself.

 

“It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about it,” Nick said instead, forcing his gaze back to the candle.

 

Judy forced herself to swallow her first reply, which was to demand the truth. She stared at the reticent fox, perplexed at his behavior. Why wouldn’t he tell her? She had barely finished asking herself the question when the answer slammed into her mind.

 

_Because you abandoned him the last time he told you, you dumb bunny!_

 

Right. What had Nick said? ‘I’m sorry for scaring you.’

 

Judy realized that maybe her actions had muddied things between her and Nick more than she’d thought. Time to clear the air.

 

Stepping forward, Judy placed one paw over Nick’s. She was a little disheartened when he steadfastly ignored her, but she pressed on anyway. “Nick, it’s true. After what you said, I was scared stiff.”

 

Nick’s paws tensed under hers, fingers digging into his knees until his claws threatened to tear through his new shorts. “But, I wasn’t scared _of_ you, Nick. I was scared _for_ you.”

 

_That_ got his attention. Nick turned an incredulous gaze onto Judy, wordlessly telling her to explain.

 

“No one’s ever said… what you said, to me before. Or done the- you know- the other thing.” Her nose twitched at the thought of his intimate gesture. “I didn’t know what to say. I was afraid I would blurt something out. Something that would hurt you. Something I couldn’t take back. I know I shouldn’t have left you like that, but I panicked. I’m sorry.”

 

Nick’s face, and the paw under Judy’s own, relaxed as Judy explained. At the end, his expression was once again a neutral mask. “You didn’t know what to say…” he trailed off, staring at Judy contemplatively. After a long moment, where Judy stared at him earnestly, trying to convey to him the truth of her words, the fox finally seemed to decide something. “Fair enough.”

 

Judy’s head tilted, ears akimbo, and she blinked. That hadn’t been the answer she’d been expecting. “What?”

 

Nick smirked at her, but there wasn’t anything genuine about it. It was a mask, the same one he wore the first day they met. “I should have known. You told me you were new to all of this.”

 

Something was wrong. Judy stared up at Nick, eyebrows scrunched as little alarms began blaring in her head. Not knowing what else to say, she repeated, “What?”

 

The fox shifted his paw that Judy wasn’t holding to pat hers. It wasn’t intimate, or loving. It was the uncomfortable kind of pat, used when a hug had gone on too long with a distant relative. “Sorry about putting you through this. It must be super awkward.”

 

The alarms were getting louder. Judy felt like she was sitting at a computer trying to shut down the self-destruct, but the manual was in Chinese. Everything she needed to know was in front of her, but she _didn’t understand._ All she could do was echo, “ _What?_ ”

 

Sensing that Judy _clearly_ didn’t get the message, Nick went ahead and moved her paw for her. Gripping her wrist, he gently moved her paw from over his to the couch cushion a few inches away from his thigh. “Thanks for letting me down easy. I appreciate it.”

 

The numbers were ticking away. Judy still didn’t have a clue and it showed on her face. The rabbit’s expression as she stared up at Nick was equal parts confusion and alarm. “ _‘Let you down-?’_ ”

 

Nick slid off the couch and landed on the carpet with a nearly silent thump. Slouching down, he shoved his paws in his pockets and began to saunter off in the general direction of the bathroom. As he stepped around Judy, he said, “Let’s call it a night, eh, Carrots? I hope you don’t mind if we don’t cuddle for a while. You can sleep on the bed. I’ll take the couch.”

 

Nick wouldn’t look at her and, even through his casual expression, Judy could see that the corners of his eyes were pinched, and his ears were fighting to pull back.

 

The timer on the screen was almost to zero and Judy was so _done_. Time to smash it with a hammer.

 

Judy bounced in front of Nick and stuck there, deliberately cutting off his retreat. “Would you wait for a _second!?_ We need to talk!” She stomped her foot and threw her fists down at her side, expression fierce.

 

Nick glanced down at her, his look of disinterest so professional it could only have been practiced. “What’s there to say?”

 

“What about how _I_ feel, huh?!”

 

Nick looked away, his gaze drifting up and to the left. “You made yourself pretty clear.”

 

“I have not!”

 

Nick pulled a paw out of his pocket to scratch at the streak of reddish fur on his neck. “‘I didn’t know what to say.’ ‘I didn’t want to hurt you.’ C’mon, Carrots, I get it. Let’s skip the ‘Let’s be friends’ bit. I’ve heard it before.”

 

Shoving his paw back into his pocket, Nick tried to step around her, but Judy wasn’t having it. She stepped into his path once, then again when he tried to dodge her.

 

Disgruntled, the fox spared an irritated glance down. Judy glared back, making it clear she wasn’t going to back down. Tsking in annoyance, Nick spun around to walk in the opposite direction.

 

Judy wasn’t going to let him get away that easy. With a move taken straight out of her combat training, she lunged past Nick, spun to face him, bunched her legs and jumped into his chest, all in one smooth blur of motion. The effect was akin to being hit with a furry little cannonball.

 

Caught by surprise, the move took Nick clear off his feet. He grunted as he crashed to the floor, “Oof!”

 

After a day of getting knocked about by Ms. Hertz, Nick was no longer quite the pushover he once was, and recovered with admirable speed. Blinking up at the bunny that now knelt on his chest, he quickly realized what had happened. Being attacked on top of being rejected pushed him from upset to furious. His arms jumped up to grab her shoulders with the full intent to throw her off and a bit of fang flashed as Nick snapped, “Rabbit! What the _hell-!_ ”

 

Grabbing his furry cheeks, Judy pressed herself nose to nose with the angry predator and shouted, “ _Shut up, Nick!_ ”

 

Nick shut up, teeth snapping together with a click as Judy continued her rant, “You got to say your piece, now it’s my turn! So you’re going to lay there and listen! You got that?!”

 

Nick blinked up at the irate bunny, the wind thoroughly taken out of his sails. Releasing his paws from her shoulders, he put them up in surrender, instead. His voice was equal parts surprised and subdued as he assured her, “I got it.”

 

“Good.” Now that she had Nick’s undivided attention, Judy released her painful hold on his fur. Leaning back, she sat on his chest, her feet planted on the floor on either side of his neck.

 

Rubbing the ruffled fur along his jaw with one paw, Nick glanced down at the rabbit sitting on what was left of his sternum, the faint circle of light bleeding through his shirt perfectly framed by her thighs. He was tempted to comment on the interesting view, but, going by the peeved expression she still wore, judged that to be a bad idea. Letting his paw drop back to floor, he settled into this odd but not entirely uncomfortable position and waited for her to cool off enough to explain.

 

It was a short wait. Judy was still glaring as she began, “Fine, I admit it: What you did freaked me out, and I’m sorry that hurt your feelings, but I don’t think you know what it meant to me.”

 

“Was it _that_ big a deal?” asked Nick with a quirked brow.

 

“Nick, the last time I saw a buck doing what you did, he was proposing to one of my sisters,” Judy explained.

 

Head coming off the floor, Nick stared at Judy, blinking rapidly as he tried to process. “You thought I was asking you to _marry me?_ ”

 

The sheer disbelief in Nick’s tone made Judy feel more than a little foolish. Eyes sliding away, she twiddled her fingers as she admitted in a low voice, “Well, yeah…”

 

Groaning in dismay, Nick’s head dropped back to the carpet with a muffled thump. “Ah, j _eez._ No wonder you ran away.” He brought up a paw and rubbed his forehead, only to pause. “Wait.” Tearing his paw away, he looked up at Judy with his brow scrunched in confusion. “Is a boop and an ‘I love you’ all it takes to propose to a rabbit?”

 

“You’re saying that like boops don’t matter,” Judy griped.

 

Nick stared at Judy, half lidded. “Sure, they’re important. But, a _proposal?_ Really?”

 

“Yes, Nick. Really. To a rabbit, it’s like you’re saying ‘I’m ready for us to start a family.’”

 

Eyes wide, Nick reviewed Judy’s seeming overreaction through the lens of this new information. It didn’t seem like much of an overreaction anymore. “...Oh.”

 

“Yeah, ‘oh’,” Judy agreed. Seeing that Nick obviously had no idea what his actions had meant to her, she had to ask, “What does a boop mean to foxes?”

 

Nick blinked at the question, his mental gears stuttering as they suddenly changed direction. “Hm. How to explain…” he muttered, brows furrowed as he thought out his reply. “...If a boop is like an engagement ring to a rabbit, for a fox, I guess it would be like a promise ring.”

 

Now it was Judy’s turn to tilt her head and blink. Wedding bands were expensive and served very little purpose, so they were exceedingly rare among the practical-minded mammals of Bunnyburrow. An example of the norm, as always, were her parents: they went without. Engagement rings were even rarer. She’d never heard of a, “Promise ring?”

 

Taking her question as a prompt to continue, Nick tried to explain his simile of the rings. “Yeah. It’s how a fox says ‘I’m ready to commit to this relationship.’ When I booped you-” Nick’s voice hitched. This had all seemed very academic until now, and easy to talk about. Now that he was about to talk about his own feelings, a lifetime of _Never let them see that they get to you_ had the words sticking in his throat.

 

It was suddenly very difficult to look Judy in the eye. Nick’s gaze slid away from hers without meaning to, even as he forced himself to continue. “When I booped you, I was trying to tell you that I…” Nick forced himself to look her in the eye again, knowing this was too important to say to her shirt. “That I wanted to be with you. For real. Maybe… forever.”

 

Hearing Nick say _forever_ had the same panic that had her running for the bathroom rear its ugly head again. This time, Judy ruthlessly stamped it down.

 

After all, Nick wasn’t proposing marriage. He was telling her he wanted to have a serious relationship with her, one that he hoped would last. Now that she knew that, she could understand his reaction to her apparent rejection.

 

From his perspective, he’d held out his paw and she pushed it away. It must have hurt terribly, especially since up to that point in the evening everything had been going well.

 

Having hopes raised and then dashed was something Judy had some experience with. Her expression softened as her heart went out to the fox she had hurt. “Oh, Nick…”

 

**_CRASH_ **!

 

“ _FUCK!_ ”

 

Both mammals jumped in surprise before turning their heads towards the noise. Ms. Hertz stood in the doorway that separated their suites, her paw planted on the door she had just thrown open. The lioness glared at them fiercely, snarled and jabbed a clawed finger in their direction. “You two! Get in here!”

 

Ms. Hertz spun away, back into her suite. Nick and Judy blinked at where she disappeared in shock, before glancing at each other, both silently asking the other if they knew anything about what was happening.

 

“NOW!” boomed Ms. Hertz’ voice through the open door. The two flinched before scrambling to comply.

 

They found the lioness standing in her living room, arms crossed and eyes glued to her TV screen. Everything about the feline was agitated, from her violently lashing tail, to her erratically twitching whiskers, to her folded back ears. When Nick and Judy turned to look at the screen, they understood why.

 

There, in plainest view, were two pictures of Ms. Hertz. One, a somewhat grainy photo of her in her typical business attire turning a corner into an alley, clearly taken from a street camera, the other, a perfect artist’s rendition, showing her face in flawless detail. Below them were a few scant details:

 

_Name: Unknown_

 

_Alias: Ms. Hertz_

 

_Species:_ _Panthera Leo (African Lion)_

 

_Sex: Female_

 

_Fur: Brown_

 

_Eyes: Brown_

 

_Wanted for: Terrorism, Theft and Sale of Biological Weapons, Murder, Kidnapping._

 

Nick bolted from between the two females, drawing their attention from the screen. They watched, perplexed, as the fox ran to the window and stuck his head through the curtains. Perked ears and a bushed tail betrayed his anxiety as he looked across the street to watch the entrance of the Lucky Fox.

 

Judy asked, “Nick? What is it?”

 

“If I know Lucky half as well as I think, then we’re about to have a serious problem.”

 

“Who the hell is Lucky?” demanded Ms. Hertz.

 

Nick shot an annoyed look over his shoulder before turning back to the window. “The fox that owns this hotel and the casino. I thought you said you two came to an agreement.”

 

“The fox I met was named Flanagan,” the lioness shot back.

 

“Well, everyone around here only calls him Flanagan to his face. Otherwise, he’s Lucky,” Nick explained without looking back. As was his habit whenever he was stressed or scared, he just kept right on talking, even while his nose was still pressed to the cool glass of the window, “Fox born to poor immigrants manages to hustle his way to the top. Owns his own casino and everything. Why wouldn’t you call him Lucky? Wealthy, powerful, and catches more tail than a rabbit hunter.” Nick ignored Judy’s indignant _Hey!_ “He also doesn’t let anything threaten his business. Not competition, not regulation, and _especially_ not witnesses. So, let's pretend for a second that one of his contractors just got outed _on the news._ ”

 

Nick threw a glare over his shoulder, locking eyes with Ms. Hertz. “What do you think a fox like that is going to do to secure his business?”

 

Ms. Hertz glared back, more with annoyance than real heat. “Make them disappear,” she said.

 

“Bingo,” Nick affirmed without humor. Turning back to the window, he saw something that made his shoulders stiffen in fright. “Here they come.”

 

Across the street, a group of huge mammals began to pour out of the casino. They were a mixed bunch, both in dress and species, but every single one weighed over a thousand pounds.

 

Something moved the curtain, prompting Nick to look up. Ms. Hertz was standing over him, looking intently down at the approaching thugs. “I can take them.” The way she said it, it was a simple statement of fact.

 

“Forget it,” Nick warned. “A big fight will draw the ZPD and SILENCE with them. We need to leave. Lucky can’t afford to be associated with a terrorist. He’ll cover up that we were ever here.”

 

Leaving the lioness to stoically consider his words, the fox turned and hurried to Judy. “Carrots, we have to go, quick. Get your coat and- Carrots?”

 

Eyes wide and ears limp down her back, Judy’s gaze was stuck to the TV. Nick turned to see what could possibly have her attention.

 

There, in full police uniform, was a picture of Judy. It looked like it was taken at her graduation. The photo pulled back to show Bogo behind the lectern in Precinct 1’s lobby, the one he often used for press conferences.

 

“Officer Judy Hopps helped Wilde in his escape. It is not understood why at this time. After reviewing her record, we do not believe she participated willingly, and we suspect she was coerced with a threat of violence, either against herself or her family. We are considering her a hostage until proven otherwise.”

 

Nick’s hustling experience taught him to recognize a calculated move when he saw one. By painting the small rabbit as a victim of the two larger predators, it would convince mammals to report them that otherwise wouldn’t have bothered. He only had a moment to contemplate the brilliance of the move before he was being pulled down to come face to face with a frantic Judy.

 

“I have to call my parents!”

 

Nick blinked, flabbergasted that Judy would be thinking about her parents at a time like this. “We don’t have time-”

 

Judy grabbed his collar and jerked him a little closer. “Nick, you don’t understand. When my father hears that his daughter has been kitnapped by terrorists, his heart is going to _explode_!”

 

Nick stared at Judy, considering. If her expression was anything to go by, she was completely serious.

 

Ms. Hertz voice pulled his attention away. “Thirty seconds,” she informed from her place by the window.

 

Nick glanced over his shoulder, then back to Judy. Seeing her anxious gaze, he quickly thought up a compromise. “Okay,” he said. Then he placed his paws over her shoulders, a gesture that was meant to reassure Judy and focus her on the situation at paw. “But we can’t call them if Lucky’s thugs kill us, right?”

 

Being reminded of what was happening brought Judy back from her worry-induced panic. Expression firming up as police-trained focus kicked in, she gave Nick a quick, professional nod. “Right!”

 

Nick gave a shallow nod back. “Right. Get your coat, we’re out in twenty.”

 

A harried-looking Bhavika led a column of brutish thugs down the hall. Approaching the door of one of her boss's _special guests,_ she pulled out a keycard and swiped it over the lock. Just as the indicator flashed green, the sharp crash of glass shattering cut through the air.

 

The rhino behind the ewe lunged toward the door, smacking the much smaller mammal aside without any concern for her wellbeing. “Out of the way!”

 

Slamming the door open, the rhino and the other cronies flooded into the room. Seeing the drapes fluttering by the now ruined window, the rhino ran to it and stuck his head out. Glancing around, he snorted in frustration as he saw no fleeing mammals, either on the ledge or the street below.

 

Yanking his head from the hole, he spun around to face the rest of the thugs. “Spread out! They can’t have gone far!”

 

The thugs turned as one and streamed back out of the door. The rhino didn’t follow immediately, instead taking his time to search the apartments.

 

Satisfied that all of the mammals were really gone, the thug walked out into the hallway. He found Bhavika leaning against the wall, clutching her arm and grimacing in agony. By the way it hung loosely at her side, it was either broken or dislocated.

 

The rhino didn’t care, one way or the other. “You know what happens if you talk,” he reminded gruffly.

 

Managing a shaky nod, the concierge assured him, “My family goes back to _Bhārat._ Gangs will punish them. Police won’t help.”

 

“No one will,” the rhino corrected. Turning away, the megafauna marched down the hall to return to his work, leaving Bhavika to nurse her wounds.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. I said two weeks, it's been two months. That's my fault and I won't try to shift the blame. But, it's time for a change. A friend of mine tried to tell me I needed to ease up on the strict schedule, but I wouldn't hear it. I need to apologize to him, because he was absolutely right. The schedule turned writing this story from a pleasurable hobby into a nerve wracking chore, sapping my creativity and drive. In order to ensure I complete this story without coming to despise it, I've decided to drop the schedule. I'll still post on Fridays, but whether that's a week, two weeks or four weeks from now, I no longer know or care to guess.
> 
> BCRE8TVE, I apologize for being stubborn, I should have listened from the start.
> 
> Starfang's Secrets, thanks for sticking with me, even through the arguments and disagreements.
> 
> Cimar, thanks for your help getting me out of that rut.
> 
> SovietMD, thanks for all the advice, editing and talks.
> 
> Ec1ipsis, thanks being such a good sounding board and friend.
> 
> Leroidatboi, thanks for sticking with me, even though I'm so on again/off again.
> 
> DrummerMax, thanks for the quick editing, even though you're so busy.


	39. Dumb, Outrageous, Ridiculous

Bogo stood stiffly behind the podium, stonily reading from a set of cue cards. "A task force has been created with the sole purpose of keeping our great city safe. This task force will include agents from the ZPD, ZBI, and other governments agencies, all of whom are experts at finding, tracking and capturing elusive criminals. These mammals will comb through Zootopia and guard her borders, and they will not rest until these fugitives are found."

Flipping to the next card, the huge bull paused, shoulders shifting uncomfortably. After a small grunt to clear his throat, he pressed on. "Due to the extreme threat posed by these criminals, measures have been enacted to allow our agents to move quickly and efficiently. They have been given certain emergency powers…"

Bogo paused again, briefly. Though his expression remained stony, the way his eyes tightened told those who knew him that what came next would be painful. "...Including the right to search and seize property without a warrant, and detain mammals suspected of collusion indefinitely and without a trial."

There was a moment of silence as the enormity of the situation sank in. An unprecedented use of emergency powers had just been declared, one that could affect the Zootopian Government's relationship with its citizens for decades to come.

The reporters exploded forward all at once, clamoring to have their questions heard.

"How is this possible?!"

"Isn't this a breach of Mammal Rights?!"

"What will this mean for the Citizens of Zootopia?!"

Before Bogo could respond to any of it, a huge paw came down his shoulder. A lion's paw.

Mayor Leodore Lionheart leaned in around Bogo to speak into the microphone. "Now, now! It's alright! It's not nearly as bad as it sounds!" The way the large lion nudged Bogo aside looked friendly enough, but the grip on Bogo's shoulder told him that the massive feline meant business.

"These are  _emergency_  powers and will  _only_ be used  _in an emergency_. The police will not use them except to capture these extremely dangerous terrorists, and when the terrorists are gone, the emergency powers will go with them. Now, I'll take some questions, but try to remember this is an ongoing effort and some information..."

As a career politician, Lionheart was better at damage control, a fact Bogo would freely admit. Seeing he was no longer needed, the bulky buffalo took the opportunity to slip away.

Considering his size, the Chief of Police made it to his office with surprising speed and stealth, somehow dodging any of a dozen mammals that wanted to get some quote or statement for their blog or e-zine or whatever it was mammals read these days.

Pulling the door shut, Bogo let himself to breath a sigh of relief. The feeling was short lived, however. Stepping more fully into his office, the Chief was confronted with his map of Zootopia. Leaning one hip against his desk, he crossed his massive arms and considered the board.

On the east side, the Canal District was marked with a pin and a sticky note that read "Pier 81". There had been pictures of the crime scene, including the dead mercenaries, but those had been taken by the ZBI and likely destroyed. All that was left was the pictures of the fox, Nick Wilde, and the lioness, Ms. Hertz. Judy's picture was pinned on the center of Downtown, right over Precinct 1, since that was her last confirmed sighting.

Pins dotted the board, each one a place of interest and, more often than not, the location of a fatality. In the Canal District, there was Pier 81. Then the attack on the ambulance in the Fog Street Tunnel, leaving two paramedics dead. The dead grizzly in the canal in Downtown. In Tundratown, the scene of Big's destroyed limo and three employees, all dead.

It had been twenty years since Bogo had seen anything like it. There hadn't been this many bodies in the streets since Mr. Big had consolidated all the gangs in Zootopia under his banner. Bogo had been a detective at the time. He still remembered what his Chief had said back then. "You can keep your head down until the bad guys are done offing each other, or you can die trying to stop them. Either way, I'll be here to clean up the mess."

Is that what he was supposed to do? Because he couldn't stand against the forces acting on his city, he just had to duck his head and weather the storm so he could pick up the pieces after?

What is a mammal supposed to do when they realize their government no longer acting in the best interest of its citizens, and will kill to get its way?

The high-pitched chirp of the intercom pulled Bogo out of his dark musings. Clawhauser sounded subdued, even through the tinny speaker. " _Chief. It's time to brief the task force._ "

Bogo uncrossed his arms, reached over and jabbed the appropriate button on his desk phone. "I'll be right down."

Reaching over, Bogo's hoof landed on the thick folder that had everything he needed for the briefing to come. Bogo paused, staring at the bland looking file as he thought about what he was about to do: inform his officers that they will now be expected to do things today that, yesterday, would not have  _just_ gotten them dismissed as officers of the law, but thrown in prison.

If they were half the cops Bogo thought they were, they would protest fiercely and, when that didn't work, resent their boss for ever allowing something so heinous come to pass.

Personally, Bogo wouldn't blame them. He'd become an officer to protect and serve the mammals of Zootopia, and these orders felt like neither.

With a sigh, Bogo finally grabbed the thick folder and turned to leave his office. As he went, he wondered, not for the first time, whether or not he was truly getting too old for this shit.

* * *

With Nick and Judy bundled under one arm, Ms. Hertz soared over the Rainforest District, leaping from building to building. The pink neon glow of the Lucky Fox Casino was fading into the distance before Nick adjusted enough to bouncing over the rooftops to start looking around. As the lioness leapt again, the fox's eyes happened over a familiar door far down on the street below.

As they landed, Nick began to insistently tap the arm clenched around his middle.

"Hey, whoa! Hold up a second!"

Ms. Hertz' momentum was so great she skid across the gravel rooftop for nearly three feet. Once they finally halted, intense amber eyes glared down at the canine hanging in the feline's grip and she hissed, "What?!"

Nick leaned up and craned his head, doing his best to look at Ms. Hertz' from over his shoulder. Judy helpfully leaned aside so her long ears wouldn't block his view. "Didn't you say SILENCE has spy satellites?"

"That's why we have to keep moving," Ms. Hertz tersely replied, already moving to resume her flight.

She only made it a step before Nick called out, "What if I could take us where no one can see?!"

Pausing mid-stride, Ms. Hertz glared down at Nick again, though this time the look was colored with interest. "Where?"

Judy also blinked at Nick, curious about what he could mean.

"There's a door down on that street we just jumped over," Nick began to explain. Feeling a strain developing in his neck, made worse by having Judy's weight on him, he went limp again. He stared at the gravel roof as he finished explaining, "It leads to the city's access tunnels. Yards of concrete between us and the sky. Perfect hiding place."

Having heard Nick's idea, Judy looked over her shoulder to see what Ms. Hertz thought. The lioness only had to consider for a few seconds before coming to a decision.

"Show me."

* * *

The street camera that had the door in its line of sight died a violent death. Ms. Hertz then went about destroying all the nearby cameras to make it less obvious where they were going before backtracking to the street Nick mentioned. The door was easy enough to find, since it was marked "CITY ACCESS" in big, block letters. It was held shut by a padlock, of course, but it might as well have been paper-mâché for all it did to stop the supernaturally enhanced lioness. Then they were underground.

The tunnels were small compared to the rest of the usually megafauna-inclusive Zootopia, being just tall enough that Hertz' ears didn't touch the ceiling, though she did have to duck under the occasional sign. Color-coded pipes took up one side of the tunnel, while color-coded conduits took up most of the other. Colored stripes ran along the ceiling, sometimes broken up by shapes and symbols that only held meaning to the workers that maintained the vast and complicated systems that supported the metropolis above.

After a few minutes of walking, Nick directed Hertz to an out of the way alcove. The lioness ducked in, scanned the small room and, finding it satisfactory, unceremoniously dropped her cargo.

Nick, somewhat used to unceremonious drops by now, managed to land on all fours, a vast improvement from the previous face plants. After waiting a moment for Judy to scramble off his back, the fox stood up and stretched, wincing as his back protested ferociously. Missing as much of his spine as he was, being carried around by his middle didn't feel good  _at all._

Judy stood next to Nick, warily observing their surroundings. A small room, no more than six feet by six feet, with one side opening into the tunnel they just exited. An electric blue sign above them, simply reading "CONTROLS" in big block letters, cast the area in dim blue light. The pipes running along the walls were studded with gauges and valves by the dozen.

But the environment only held Judy's interest for a moment before her gaze dropped to the ground, brow wrinkled in concentration. Now that she wasn't distracted with fleeing for their lives, her mind began to work on her latest problem: her parents thinking she'd been kidnapped by terrorists.

The obvious solutions were quickly knocked down. Call them? SILENCE would track the signal and be on them in minutes. A letter? SILENCE would intercept it. If she put too much information into it, SILENCE might be able to use it track them, and if her parents  _did_  get it, it wouldn't matter what she put into it. At best her parents would think she was suffering some kind of Stockholm syndrome, and at worst they would think she wrote it under duress. A messenger? Same problem as the letter, and then the messenger would likely be captured and questioned.

The only thing Judy thought could possibly allay her parents' fears would be to see them in the flesh, but she could think of no way to arrange such a meeting. Surely SILENCE was watching them-

Ms. Hertz' voice crashed through Judy's train of thought, "Wilde, do you think you can get us out of the city? Without getting caught this time."

Long ears perking as she was broken from her thoughts, Judy's gaze jumped from the ground to stare at the lioness with wide-eyed surprise. Leave Zootopia?

The bunny turned to Nick as the fox let out a resigned sigh, before leaning against the nearest wall and crossing his arms. "Yeah, I can get us out. Won't be comfortable, though. If you don't want  _anyone_  to know what we're doing, that means riding in the back of a truck or the belly of a ship."

Judy turned again as Ms. Hertz snorted with contempt, before leaning against the wall across from Nick and crossing her own arms, mirroring the fox's pose exactly. "Uncomfortable is fine. Should have done that from the beginning, anyway. Would have avoided this whole fiasco."

Judy spun to Nick as he made a mild grunt of agreement. "Yup. By land or by sea?"

"Hang on!" Judy shouted, jumping to stand between them and slicing her arms through the air to cross them in front of her chest. "We can't leave!"

Mirroring each other again, both predators stepped away from the walls and bent down to shush Judy, though only Ms. Hertz used invective. " _Shut the fu-_ "

Judy missed the rest of whatever the lioness said as Nick crouched down and grabbed her shoulders. "Keep it  _down_!" he hissed. "We don't know who else could be down here."

"Nick, we can't leave Zootopia," Judy insisted, a lowered voice the only acknowledgement of his warning.

Nick sighed, knowing this was going to be difficult. "Judy-"

"What part of 'Forget your old life' do you not understand?" Ms. Hertz butted in. "SILENCE has the whole city after us now! Staying would be suicide."

Judy turned her head to give Hertz a challenging glare. "If we run now, we'll always be running. We'll never win!"

"Win?  _Win?_ " Ms. Hertz scoffed, once again leaning against the pipes. "There's no winning against the likes of Aphos. There's only surviving."

Judy tore herself from Nick's grasp to turn fully to the lioness. "I don't buy that! Even Aphos is only one mammal. We can bring him down if we try!"

"Aphos isn't a  _mammal_ , he's a  _monster_!" Ms. Hertz yelled back, slamming her balled fists against the pipes at her side with a powerful  _klang!_

"That doesn't make him all powerful!" Judy shot back, voice growing to match. "There has to be a way!"

Ms. Hertz growled and her ears pulled back, a sure sign of her patience being strained to its limit. "What would a snot nosed neophyte like  _you_  know about it?!"

Judy's reply was interrupted before it could form by Nick grabbing her shoulder and drawing her back. As the fox tucked the tense bunny under one arm, he held his other paw out in a calming gesture toward the irate lioness.

"Ladies, ladies," he soothed. "Let's not get too excited. I understand we have different ideas on what to do next. Can we please discuss them  _quietly?_ "

"There's nothing to talk about," Ms. Hertz quickly asserted, voice lowered but firm. She leaned back again, crossed her arms and glared imperiously down at the pair. "We're leaving Zootopia  _now_."

"How's that going to work, huh?!" Judy challenged. "You said SILENCE always kept things quiet before! No news, no police. How are you going to get anywhere now that the world knows your face?"

Though her expression darkened, the lioness had no reply.

Nick spoke up from his spot behind Judy. "She has a point, Hertz. SILENCE has changed the way they operate. Maybe we should, too?"

"You're just saying that so the bunny will keep lifting her tail," Hertz spat.

"Okay, let's get something straight!" Judy shouted, yanking herself out from under Nick's arm to stand before the much taller lioness. Stamping her foot for emphasis, Judy pointed up at Hertz and declared, "Nick and I have  _never_ had sex! Or-or even been  _intimate_! Not even a kiss. Quit talking about me like I'm some  _floozy!_ "

"I'll talk about you however I like, you little-"

_**SSZZZNAP!** _

Ms. Hertz mouth snapped shut as the air was filled with the threatening crackle of electricity.

The sound drew Judy's gaze over her shoulder. She found Nick glaring up at the lioness, green eyes glowing faintly from within. He had one paw up, level with his head. Blue-white arcs danced between his claws, sizzling and snapping at the air.

"E- _nough._ " To punctuate the demand, the fox upped the voltage until the arcs flashed blindingly bright.

Then it was over. The light winked out, leaving the two females to blink the spots from their eyes. Nick stepped forward, placed a paw on Judy's shoulder and guided the shell-shocked bunny to stand by the wall furthest from Ms. Hertz. Then the fox spun to face the lioness, his best scowl firmly in place.

"What aren't you telling us?"

Still blinking, the big cat glared down at the suddenly bold fox. "What are you talking about?"

"You're way too eager to leave. Before, you were ready to stay in Zootopia, even though SILENCE knew you were here. That hasn't changed. You had the little monster," Nick placed a paw over his chest, indicating the glowing orb within. "That hasn't changed either. But now, you  _really_ want to leave town.  _Something_ has you spooked. What is it?"

Hertz snorted. "Nothing."

Expression blanking, Nick tilted his head. He regarded the tall feline thus, and for a moment everything was tense and quiet.

Finally, the fox spoke. "Right. We're leaving."

Nick turned away from Hertz to place a paw on Judy's shoulder. "C'mon, Carrots. Let's go talk to your parents."

Judy blinked in surprise, not having expected to hear those words. When it sank in that Nick was agreeing to help her, a soft, grateful smile spread across her lips. "Thank you, Nick."

Ms. Hertz watched as the duo turned to leave, unable to believe what she was seeing. Was she being… ignored? She, the Red Thread Eidolon, who had fought, clawed, and murdered her way up to being one of the most feared Eidolons to ever live was being ignored by a  _rank amateur!?_

Fox and rabbit were already out in the main tunnel before the lioness had gathered up enough of her faculties to protest.

"Hey!" Ms. Hertz barked, pushing off the wall to pursue her quarry. The lioness reached out a paw to grab Nick by the scruff. "Where are you going?!"

Instincts screaming, Hertz snatched her paw back just before it would have made contact. Nick stopped and turned his head to glance at her from over his shoulder.

Burning green eyes had Hertz taking a cautious step back. When Nick reached one arm out to lay a paw on the electrical conduits running across the wall, she took another. When the conduits began to hum, the lioness froze as she finally realized the position she was in: Trapped underground in a small tunnel lined with electric cables flowing with enough current to power entire city blocks, face to face with a fox that despised her…

...and that fox could control electricity.

Hertz lived a life of violence. The dangerous lioness could easily see when violence existed in others. Right now, she saw in Nick's eyes a creature on the razor's edge between barely holding on to his temper and outright murder.

The tense silence that followed, accentuated by the unnatural thrum of powerful electric current, seemed to go on forever.

When something touched the paw balled into a fist at his side, Nick sucked in a breath, one that felt like the first he'd had in minutes. Turning his head, he found Judy. The doe had both paws around his. Huge violet eyes looked back at him, filled with understanding. Nick knew, somehow, that if he killed Hertz, that Judy would still be there, standing beside him. He also knew that doing such a thing would probably break her heart.

The unnatural glow went out of Nick's eyes, and the humming in the conduits faded away. When his paw unclenched, Judy's smaller paws pushed into his larger one and squeezed.

"...we're going to help Judy talk to her parents," Nick said, still looking down at the rabbit that gave him a reason to go on living, in spite of the unbearable circumstance. The fox raised his head to look at Hertz, and it was only when she saw that the bloodthirst had completely gone from his gaze did she allow herself to believe this wasn't going to end in a fight to the death. "You think it's a dumb thing to do. Outrageous. Ridiculous. Whatever you want to call it, we're still going to do it. You want me for something? Fine. If you want me, then help us do the dumb thing without getting killed. Otherwise, this is where we part ways, and that's fine, too."

Without waiting for a reply, Nick turned to resume the long trek down the tunnel, Judy at his side, with both of her paws still in his one.

Hertz stared after them, seriously considering dicing them into a thousand pieces so SILENCE couldn't have them. She quickly threw that option out as she noticed something: Nick's paw, the one that Judy wasn't holding, was still up, running over the electric conduits as he walked. Any attempt to touch him, even with her thread, would end with severe injuries  _at least_. Death was more likely.

Hertz turned to go back the way she came, ready to cut her losses and flee Zootopia before the city got any more hazardous to her health. She only made it a few steps before a memory stopped her in her tracks.

" _I was made in a lab."_

Nick's Origin wasn't merely an abnormally powerful specimen. It was created, the first of a new breed of artificial Origins. There was every possibility there would be more like it flooding the world.

But, if that were true, why was Aphos so desperate to retrieve it? Desperate enough to risk revealing the existence of Eidolons to the world? Something about that didn't make sense…

...unless Nick's Origin was the only one. The blueprint for all that followed, and its loss would cripple Aphos' ability to make more. There were other possibilities, but if that were the case, allowing Nick to be captured by SILENCE would be a disaster.

But, she also couldn't stop the fox from going to talk to a couple of nobody rabbits. A couple of nobody rabbits that SILENCE was  _surely_  watching. Which meant, if she wanted to keep the New Origin out of Aphos' malignant paws...

...she was going to have to help Nick on his dumb, outrageous, ridiculous mission,  _goddammit!_

Face screwed up in a powerful scowl, Hertz spun on her heel to follow after the duo, hissing curses the entire way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Yeah, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Sorry, but work has eaten up all my time for the last few months. But, you don't care to hear excuses and I don't care to hawk em, so...
> 
> Many thanks to BCRE8TVE, Ec1ipsis, Cimar/WildeHopps, DrummerMax64 and Soviet for all of the wonderful suggestions and editing. As always, I could never get this level of polish without all of the help I can get, so thank you all for taking the time.
> 
> To StarfangsSecrets: Star, I know you're going through a hard time right now, and I hope you know I'm there for you.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always looking for interested Coauthors/BetaReaders/Etc. If that sounds like something you would enjoy, shoot me a line on [Discord.](https://discordapp.com/) My user name is ADeadMissionary#4037.


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